


Reluctance

by Fire_Bear



Series: Reluctance [1]
Category: Hetalia: Axis Powers
Genre: Assassination, Cardverse, Conspiracy, F/M, Fantasy, M/M, Magic, Magic-Users, Major Character Injury, Manipulation, Multi, Politics, Rebellion, Royalty, Sibling Love, Succession of Royals
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-01-07
Updated: 2017-01-07
Packaged: 2018-09-15 14:18:10
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 12
Words: 69,211
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9238694
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Fire_Bear/pseuds/Fire_Bear
Summary: The search is on for the new Queens of the Kingdoms and the last one to be found is the representative from Spades. It is unusual that no-one has come forward and someone is obviously hiding. Meanwhile, Arthur is trying his hardest to provide for his brother Peter - but it's only a matter of time before his secret is discovered...





	1. Inheritance

**Author's Note:**

> This is another one I'm transferring over from ff.net. But there are some things you need to know before you read:  
> 1) I started writing this before I found out that Cardverse was an actual thing Himaruya invented - so I changed who was Queens and Jacks according to what I thought made sense. As in, I changed it so that Spades = former British Empire/Commonwealth; Diamonds = Asia; Hearts = Europe; Clubs = former Soviet Union + Northern Europe.  
> 2) I apparently liked the thought of using different languages so there are random words added to the conversation - not too many but enough for me to cringe when reading it over. At least the newer chapters won't be as horrible.  
> 3) 'Aru' - unfortunately that turns up. But, it diminishes as the story goes on. Thankfully.  
> 4) There are a lot of passages with different languages - for which I used Google Translate. If there's mistakes, that's why - and I'm sorry. Feel free to correct me.  
> 5) The plot might not make much sense. Sorry. But I think, since it formed out of a different idea, it's not so bad. There was originally gonna be more romance and focus on USUK, FrUK, RusEng and the Opium Pair relationships but, ah well.  
> 6) There are also some slight continuity errors but I can't be bothered trying to find them all again to change them. Hopefully, I'll make sure to remember stuff in the future chapters.
> 
> Someone's translating this into Chinese. [Here's the version](https://tieba.baidu.com/p/5028983610) from YUYI2002.

Arthur was scrubbing the bar when his little brother entered and rushed up towards him. He glanced up and inwardly sighed. He was already exhausted but he had promised a history lesson to Peter. He watched the small boy jump up onto a stool before standing up to see over the counter better.

"Peter!" exclaimed Arthur, hitting his hands with the cloth. "How many times must I tell you not to stand on the chairs?! It will dirty them and give me more work to do, you know!"

Peter stuck out his tongue. "I'm here for my History lesson, jerk Arthur! And you better tell me all about the system of getting new Kings and stuff! My friends say I should know this sort of stuff!"

Arthur sighed. "Yes, well... Sit down properly and I'll tell you whilst I finish cleaning up." The elder brother peered over the bar and frowned. "Ah, look at that mud you trailed in here! You've given me more work to do, you little brat!"

"Your fault for being late for my lesson, jerk!"

Arthur grimaced under his little brother's stare. "Yes. I know. I apologise. I just needed to work an extra shift."

"Yeah. Sorry about the mud," said Peter with a guilty look.

Arthur told his brother to wait for him while he went to collect the mop and bucket. It really wasn't fair on Peter, having to do his lessons in such a distracting place. However, the Arthur's brothers sent money erratically and he had to work hard at certain points in time to make ends meet. Poor Peter had to get his lessons in between shifts at Arthur's various jobs. But, on days like these, Arthur sometimes never got a break or had any time to teach his brother.

Thankfully, their next-door neighbours looked after Peter. They were from the Country of Clubs but they were kind and Peter learned a lot about woodcarving and how to take care of the home. Arthur was relieved for that.

When he returned, he found Peter with a small wooden horse. He was making it canter along the bar and Arthur smiled, relieved that he still had his childish personality. When he had been younger, there had been a period of time when Arthur's parents had been too ill to work and he and his older brothers had had to grow up rather fast.

"Did Berwald make that for you?" he asked as he placed the bucket in a corner so that no-one would trip over it.

"Yeah!" exclaimed Peter. "Mine lost a leg when I was carving it so he made this for me!"

"Ah, no. Really? I take it you'll have to start again?"

"Yeah," said Peter sadly before pouting. "It's so annoying!"

"But soon you'll be able to make works of art, won't you?" said Arthur slapping the wet mop onto the floor. He began to swipe it over the flagstones.

"Yep! Now start my History lesson so I can go!"

Arthur sighed at his impatience but began the lesson.

* * *

In this world there are four kingdoms: Spades, Hearts, Clubs and Diamonds. Each is ruled over by a King, Queen and Jack. The relationship between these countries is currently good and they get on as well as they can.

Many years ago, the King of Spades died. People thought nothing of it but, in the time between his death and the coronation of his heir, the other Kings experienced disasters which forced them from their thrones. They were forced to abdicate from the outcries of their people. The Queen and Jack followed. When the new Kings ascended to the thrones, the countries were in chaos and they came to a quick agreement: elect the Jacks. This would mean that the voice of the people would always reach the Kings and Queens without a repeat of the previous chaos.

The only problem was that there were no Queens. Being a Queen at that point meant that the woman was married to the King. However, it was also an official position with many roles and errands to run. At first the Kings began courting as much as possible, largely ignoring other problems. Then one of the Kings had a dream where the four countries' symbols danced around him before settling on the image of a woman. He declared that a search should be carried out in each kingdom for women with all four symbols on their body.

When they eventually found them, they asked them to become their country's Queen. They agreed but, when the King of Hearts asked his Queen to marry him, she refused as she was already in love. The King relented and, between all four Kings, they decided that the Queens would be able to decide on their service – in other words, which country they would serves – and who they married.

The King and Queen of Spades died a month ago on a voyage when the ship was overturned by a large sea creature. The Kings, Queens and Jacks of all the countries have abdicated and the new Kings coronated and Jacks elected. Now they are searching for the new Queens.

* * *

"Wouldn't it be easier for them just to ask all the girls to go to the palace?" asked Peter.

"Well, men can be Queens, too. It is not just restricted to women," Arthur replied, scrubbing at the floor with the mop. He frowned at the stain and was relieved when it began to disappear. He flopped the mop into the bucket with a small splash. "Remember, being the Queen has become more of an official position, helping to run the country."

Peter nodded. "So, what are the names of the Kings?" he asked, swinging his legs as he watched his brother working.

Arthur returned the mop to the spot he had been working at before and pushed the mop over it. "The King of Diamonds is Yao. The King of Clubs is Ivan. The King of Hearts is Francis. And the King of Spades is Alfred – but you already know that one, don't you?"

Again, Peter nodded. "Yep! But who are the Jacks?"

"The Jack of Diamonds, I believe, is a young man called Sun. I believe he is a distant cousin of the King there. The Jack of Clubs is a man called Toris, a commoner much like us. And the Jack of Hearts is called Feliciano. I'm not sure whether he is a member of nobility or a commoner."

"What about the Jack of Spades?"

Glancing at the message board, Arthur was glad that the notice was still up. He had completely forgotten the name of their country's Jack. Most people forgot about him as he was so quiet and polite. "Matthew," he told his brother. "I think he's the King's twin brother."

"Isn't that unfair?" asked Peter, frowning.

"Yes, quite. But I don't think the people remembered he was the King's brother. His personality is the opposite of King Alfred so, even though they look rather alike, the country seemed to have problems realising who he was. There's nothing we can do about it now."

"Hey, Arthur. Would you like to be the Queen?"

The older brother flushed and glanced round at the small boy. He looked a little concerned and wasn't looking at Arthur. His hands twisted the hem of his shirt in his hands and he was biting his lip. Arthur smiled lightly and walked over, patting his brother reassuringly on the head.

"Of course not. I'd rather stay here with you. Even if you _are_ an insolent whelp."

"Hey!" exclaimed Peter, indignantly. He caught his brother's hand and pulled it away from his head before he froze, frowning down at it. Arthur blinked in confusion before realising what he was staring at. His eyes widened; he had been hoping to conceal it from his brother for as long as possible. "What's with the bandage?!"

"Er, well..." muttered Arthur, looking away from him. "I had an accident in the kitchen."

"Again? Really, you should just let Berwald and Tino cook!"

"I'm fine!" snapped Arthur. "Now, I need to go to my next job so run a-"

"Wait, is that a bandage on your neck?!"

"Ah, well." Arthur looked sheepish and hurried over to the mop and bucket. "It was a rather big accident." He grimaced and looked back at Peter with an apologetic smile. "It'll heal soon. Don't worry."

"I wasn't worrying, jerk!" Peter hurriedly ascertained. He leapt off the stool and hurried to the door. Pausing there, he turned and said, "Just don't get hurt any more. I don't want to have to take care of you." He ran out of the door as he called, "Idiot!"

Arthur rolled his eyes and sighed. He really was a bratty child – he often wondered if it was his fault. He had had to raise him from when he was a teenager. His brothers had all disappeared to do their jobs whilst their parents had died. He had been left alone with a young Peter who had cried a lot. He had tried his best to teach him and provide for him but it was really difficult. And now...

He returned the mop and bucket, declared to his preoccupied boss that he was leaving for the day and slipped into the bathroom. In the room, he lowered the toilet lid and unravelled the bandage on his hand. Staring back at him was the Diamond-shaped mark. Maybe it was just a burn he hadn't noticed, he told himself once again. Then he turned to the mirror and untied the bandage around his neck, letting it drop and drape over his shoulders.

No, the mark of Hearts was still there. He untied his shirt and pulled it down, glaring at the Spade on his opposite shoulder. Finally, he slipped off his shoe and sighed as he spotted the Club on the top of his foot.

He was a Queen.

The young man had heard that the other three Queens had been found and yet he had still not gone forward. He had Peter to take care of. What would happen if he had to leave him behind?

For he had heard horror stories about the Queens' lifestyles and families.

One day, a few years ago, he had come across a young girl who seemed rather distressed. He had asked her what was wrong and she had explained that she was the new Queen's younger sister. However, no matter how many letters she wrote or how many times she asked to see her, she was refused. When he had met her a few months afterwards, she said she had given up – that she'd just forget about the Queen and get on with her own life.

It terrified Arthur to think he would never see his family again. He may not always express it to them but he loved them. He stared at the marks in the mirror and remembered the panic he'd felt when he'd first discovered them. He swallowed and took a breath. He would just have to hide, never go forward.

They would just have to find a new Queen.

* * *

A few days later, Arthur was walking between one job and the next when he heard his name being called. He turned to find Peter running up to him, calling out to him.

"Hey now, what's wrong?" asked Arthur as his little brother reached him.

"They came to the house, Arthur! They're looking for you! They say you're the right age and everything!"

Arthur froze, staring wide-eyed at his brother. The day before, a proclamation had been announced that all citizens would be encouraged to go to the palace for a check-up with the Royal Physician. This was their way of trying to find the Queen. A lot of people were going there willingly but they had also compiled a list using the carefully kept archives and were sending guards to bring those of a certain age to the castle.

He happened to fall within the age-range.

"Ah, well. Did you- Did you tell them where I was?"

"No, I wasn't sure. I told them you were at work and they asked me to go find you."

Feeling the panic rise, Arthur took a breath. What would be the best thing to do in this situation? He couldn't go home. And they were currently in the capital city of Donnol so even if he kept going from job to job, he would never be able to avoid them forever. But his brothers were stationed in ports in other parts of the country. So, perhaps...

"Hey, Peter. How would you like to visit our brothers? We haven't seen them in a while and I've been saving money so that we can go on a trip."

"Really?!" exclaimed Peter excitedly, forgetting about the palace guards for now.

"Yes. Anything for my little brother!" Arthur forced a laugh and looked down at the smaller boy. He noticed him frowning and realised that he was getting suspicious of his faked joviality. "Now, I just need you to pick up some things from the house and we can go straight from my workplace. Understand?"

"But... What about those guards?" Peter glanced around as if looking for something and Arthur frowned. What was he so distracted about?

"Ah, they'll catch up with me soon, won't they?" he said, trying to dismiss Peter's worries.

"Yes," said a voice behind him. "Fairly soon, sir."

Arthur cried out and spun round, staring in shock at the two guards who had appeared behind him. They were both wearing full armour complete with helmets and looked serious. He turned back to Peter to find him being held by another one. He was relieved to see that Peter was struggling to get his arm free, still moving and unharmed. However, he stopped moving, just in case, wondering what the guard intended to do.

"What do you think you're doing?!" exclaimed Arthur from his position between the guards. "Let him go!"

"Of course, sir," said the voice again and he felt the guards grab his arms. He struggled to shrug them off. "But I think you should come with us."

"No! Let me go!" Arthur pulled away from them as much as he could and flapped his arms, trying to shake them off. "Peter!" he called out.

"Let the boy go," said one of Arthur's guards. "He's not needed."

"Peter!" cried Arthur again, still struggling. He watched with some relief as the guard let him go and the young boy dropped to the ground. He quickly scrambled to his feet and rushed to Arthur, grabbing him around the waist.

"Let him go! He's not the Queen, jerks!" Peter pulled at Arthur who struggled to stay on his feet. He was suddenly feeling a little weak. For days he had been working extra shifts and several jobs, from bar work to deliveries. He had been running from thinking of his fate, worrying about Peter, worrying about his future, worrying about his country.

It was starting to take its toll and, with this sudden stress, he wasn't sure how much longer he could stay on his feet.

"Peter. Peter," said Arthur patting his brother's head. The little boy lifted his head; he looked angry. "Listen, my brother. Go to Berwald and Tino. I'm sure they will look after you well. And I'll be back before you know it!" He smiled as naturally as he could.

The boy looked at him suspiciously. "I want to go with you. You promised me you'd take me to see everyone."

"I know, I know," said Arthur with a grimace. A sudden idea occurred to him. "Hey," he said to the guards. "If the boy goes home and brings me my money, would you be willing to let me go home with him in exchange?"

The guard who had spoken before gave a low growl. "What do you take us for?!"

"Look!" cried Arthur. "I just want to be with my brother! I have to look after him! Let me go!" Once again he struggled to get free but, this time, he felt a little dizzy and he swayed on the spot. The guards steadied him and one shifted so that they could look him in the face.

"Hey," he said, his voice a little gruffer than the other's. "He looks pale. Might be best not to stress him any more than necessary."

"You're probably right," said the first one. "It's lucky he's seeing a doctor when he gets there."

"I'll bring the boy," said the third one and he grabbed Peter by the scruff of his neck. Alarmed, Peter let go of Arthur, struggling against his captor, and was soon dangling in the air.

"Hey!" shouted Arthur. "Put him down! You'll hurt him, you dolt!" He was about to shout more when, without so much as a by your leave, one of the men picked him up and slung him over his shoulder. Embarrassed and infuriated, Arthur turned red. "You wanker! Put me down! Let me go!" They refused to listen and carried the brothers to the palace without further comment.

* * *

At the palace gates, they were stopped by a young man. He had blonde hair and violet eyes, a curl of his hair sticking up. He was wearing a blue coat over his plainer clothes which had Spades symbols on the sleeves and over the pockets. Over this a small capelet was placed, the neck buttoned up properly. On his head was a small blue hat upon which was a Spade decoration and a long blue feather. Arthur was the first to spot him as he was facing backwards over the other man's shoulder.

"Excuse me, but it would appear that he wants you to stop," Arthur pointed out to them. The guards did so and turned in unison.

"Ah, Jack," said the one carrying Arthur. "Sorry. We didn't didn't see you there."

"That's alright," said the Jack of Spades quietly. "I just wanted to warn you that I have no idea where the King has disappeared to. You'll have to make sure that he doesn't meet him, just in case he is a potential Queen. Alfred isn't supposed to meet them till later, remember."

"Yes, we know. You've already told us that."

"Eh? Have I? Sorry. There's just been so many people..." The poor Jack sounded as though he was flustered. Arthur supposed he had every right to be – it must have been rather sudden and, if he recalled correctly, he was quite young to have such an important position. "Ah, is the man alright?"

"He looks rather ill."

"Oh, well, I'll escort you all to the Doctor, eh. Just to make sure he is alright." They turned and started off again. Arthur looked up at the Jack who was peering at him worriedly. "Perhaps we should do this for everyone once a year to prevent people from getting ill like this," he was muttering to himself.

Arthur thought about it. It _did_ seem like a good idea. He nodded at the Jack. "I am inclined to agree. But, really, I am fine. If he could just put me down..."

The Jack nodded in understanding. "Eh, excuse me, guards. You can put them down now." The guards didn't hear and the Jack had to tap their shoulders to get their attention. Thankfully, they followed his instructions and Arthur was set down to walk along the long corridor.

At the end was a door upon which one of the guards knocked. There was a soft "come in!" from inside and they entered. Arthur cursed his luck – it looked as though the guards and Jack were going to sit in on his check-up. He had been thinking that, if he could find something to use as a rope, he could climb out of the window. Sure enough, the guards announced his name and within grabbing distance.

The Royal Physician looked up as they entered. He was wearing a white shirt, his sleeves pushed up, and a pair of brown breeches. He looked very plain for a Royal Physician with no distinguishing features, just his blonde hair and grey eyes. He grinned as the guards stood aside to reveal Arthur. "I see you managed to catch another one, huh? It's surprising how many people hear the word "Doctor" and make a run for it. I'm not going to bite." He gnashed his teeth.

Meanwhile, Arthur ignored him and looked around the room. It was very white and seemed to sparkle with cleanliness. A white curtain separated the back of the room from the alcove they stood in. He could just see the end of a bed and a metal table, various tools sitting on it. He looked over at the odd man who was now looking at Arthur in a way that reminded him of farmers at a cattle auction.

"I'm perfectly fine," snapped Arthur. "I'm only a little overworked. I need to take care of my brother." He gestured to Peter who finally wriggled away from the guard and hurried over to grab his outstretched hand. The small boy glared round at everyone and the doctor laughed.

"I'm not going to hurt him, really! And you." He turned to Arthur. "I'd like to see what's under those bandages."

"I-It's just burns," Arthur assured him, tightening his grip on Peter's hand. "I had a nasty kitchen accident. I always have kitchen accidents, don't I Peter?"

"Yeah," muttered Peter, gazing at the doctor warily. "Even on the days he doesn't hurt himself, he has accidents."

"Why you-" growled Arthur, immediately recognising a slight on his cooking skills. "Those are the way the scones are supposed to look!"

"Is that the way they're supposed to taste?" asked Peter with a smirk.

"I'll-!" began Arthur when he felt something tugging at his bandaged hand. He looked round and gasped, trying to pull his hand out of the doctor's grip. However, this only succeeded in unwrapping the loose bandage. It fell to the floor, revealing the mark. "Ah! No..."

The doctor looked up at him and Arthur knew it was all over. He knew the true marks when he saw them. Nevertheless, Arthur tried to deny it one last time.

"No! I know what you're thinking, but that's just the way the burn scar is healing! I have no other marks-!" He was silenced by the doctor reaching up to take off the bandage round his neck. Alarmed, he dodged out of the way, letting go of Peter's hand as he did so. He glanced towards his brother to find him staring at him in shock and anger. Arthur wondered why he was angry but his train of thought was interrupted by the doctor gripping the bandage and tugging. It came away as quickly as the other one. Arthur gasped and placed his hand to his neck, trying to cover up the mark which had already been seen.

"The mark of Diamonds and the mark of Hearts," said the Doctor. He glanced at the Jack before looking back to Arthur. "You have the other marks, don't you? Let me see them."

Arthur hesitated before sighing and untying his shirt. He pulled it down and let them look at the Spades mark on his shoulder. Then he slipped off his shoe to reveal the Clubs mark. The doctor produced a magnifying glass and stared at them, scratching at them a little to see if they came off. After a few more minutes, during which Arthur became a little more red in the cheeks, the doctor straightened up and turned to the Jack.

"Meet our country's Queen representative," he said simply. The Jack immediately bowed deeply. The guards followed suit. Peter, however, just stared, a mix of emotions on his face.

"Peter..." Arthur began, taking a step towards him. He swayed a little and the doctor steadied him.

"You really have overworked yourself, haven't you? Were you running away from your fate?"

Arthur wrenched his arm from his grip. "Leave me alone! I don't want this!" He stepped towards Peter and reached out to him. The young boy shook his head and backed away. Then he darted around Arthur, shouting back at him.

"Jerk Arthur!"

Shocked, Arthur turned to follow only to find his way barred by the doctor. "I'm sorry, sir, but you're going to kill yourself if you don't get some rest soon. We'll take care of your brother, don't worry."

"What do you mean by that?" Arthur demanded.

There was a pause as the assembled people seemed stunned. He wasn't sure why but he thought that, perhaps, it was his confident tone of voice. The Jack stepped forward. "I will go find him, eh?" he said, reassuringly. "And take him home, eh? To his family."

"I'm the only family in Donnol!" snapped Arthur. "And... I can't look after him properly... No wonder he hates me." Arthur sighed sadly, feeling himself beginning to lose focus. He swayed a little and the doctor came forward to direct him to the bed. He sat down on it as the Jack came forward once again.

"I'll make sure he's with people who can look after him for now, eh? Just until we get things sorted out..."

"Ah, well, there are the neighbours..." Arthur murmured as he felt his eyes drooping shut. He finally let the darkness consume him – his worries and fears had caught up with him and there was not much he could do about it now...

* * *

In a gloomy room, a clock was ticking. The second hand was slowly making its way around the face. Meanwhile, the minute hand spun round and round, much faster than it should. The hour hand pointed at the six position, quivering, stuck.

Suddenly, it turned and pointed towards the nine. The numbers on the face slowly dissolved and disappeared. Underneath them were revealed the four marks of the Kingdoms. The Club was where the twelve would normally be; the Diamond was at the three; the hour hand had been pointing at the Heart. Now it was pointing at the Spade symbol.

A mechanism opened a door above the face and a small bird came hopping out. It chirped nine times before fluttering off towards a corner. It landed on something that began to move and a figure as dark as the shadows themselves formed. It walked towards the clock and looked at it, a bright grin the only thing visible.

"It is almost time," it said. "Kesesese!"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> (Part of) Original A/N:  
> I'm not sure if people will regard Arthur and Peter to be a little OOC in this but I thought that they would be concerned for each other. Especially since Arthur is Peter's go-to guy for Christmas-related problems. And especially since they're all they have at the moment.


	2. Tolerance

Arthur woke up in a large fluffy bed. He stared at the ceiling and blinked. It was a rather low ceiling for a bed of this size. It took him a few minutes for him to realise that he was staring at the top of a huge four-poster bed. The drapes were pulled back and tied to the wooden poles. White sheets covered him and huge white pillows were under his head. Both the bed and the pillows were so soft he felt as though he was floating. He sat up and, as the covers fell off, realised he was naked. He yelped and pulled them up as he heard movement to his side.

"Ah, you're awake. Good," said the doctor with a smile. "I was beginning to wonder if we'd need to find new heirs." Arthur glanced at him, unamused. "Well, let me just get the Jack for you." The doctor moved out of sight and Arthur took the chance to crawl to the edge of the bed, dragging the covers with him.

There was a bedside cabinet, brilliantly carved, large and spacious. It looked gaudy to Arthur, though, who thought Berwald's carvings were much more beautiful. He was beginning to regret never having complimented the Slade.

A tall and wide wardrobe was opposite the bed, sitting on clawed feet. The handles were in the shape of Spades. A small table sat close to the window, three chairs surrounding it. The metal chairs had spades on the backs. Bright sunlight filtered through the stained glass spade in the window, creating a spade on the thick carpet. The carpet was a royal blue and looked very soft. A portrait hung on the wall of the former Queen.

At the door (which was huge), the doctor was conversing with someone on the other side, through a gap in the door. Their voices were low and Arthur couldn't hear them. However, eventually, the doctor slipped out and, in his place, stood the Jack. He was wearing light trousers and a light shirt instead of his official outfit. There was also a pair of spectacles on his face which he had not been wearing the day before. He was holding a tray and walked to Arthur.

"Are you feeling any better?" he asked.

"Yes, thank you," said Arthur, as politely as he could.

"Well, I brought you something to eat. I'm not sure if you'll like it, eh." He looked rather nervous, as if he was genuinely worried about Arthur's opinion on the food. Arthur rearranged the pillows and leaned against them, accepting the tray with good grace. He made sure that he was still mostly covered with the sheets, however.

On the tray was a teapot and a cup and saucer. A huge plate full of some sort of soft pastry was covered in some sort of golden sticky substance. A small vase full of flowers also sat beside them. Nanus asters and cowslips and sweet pea nestled inside the small white ornament. The lovely colours surprised Arthur and he looked up at the Jack.

"Is-Is there a garden in the castle?" he asked, almost hopefully.

"Eh, yes. When I took Peter home yesterday, I noticed your garden. It's a lot smaller than the one here, but I thought you would like some of these flowers – they're similar to the ones there."

Arthur had paused as he made to cut a mouthful of the pastry. "Did you say yesterday?!"

"Eh, yes, sorry. You've been asleep for quite some time."

"Oh. I suppose I've been holding things up?"

"Well, you've been holding things up for weeks, haven't you?" The Jack smiled knowingly as Arthur glanced at him in surprise. "One more day wouldn't kill anyone."

He nodded and began to eat. After one mouthful, however, he stopped with a gasp. "This is amazing! Are the chefs here really this good?"

"Eh, no, I made this," said the Jack. He walked over to the table and picked up one of the chairs. Bringing it over, he sat down on it. "It's my own version of Francis' crepes. I call them pancakes. And I added maple syrup, too."

"You've met him?" Arthur asked as he took another bite.

"Yes. And you'll meet him in a few weeks."

"I don't want to," Arthur said, looking into his violet eyes.

"Eh?"

"I want to go home."

"Well, eh, I don't think you're allowed to."

His worst fears realised, Arthur sighed. He ate in silence for a few minutes before deciding that he needed to know what was going to happen in the coming weeks. Perhaps there was a time when he could slip away. "So, what is the process now? How do I choose?"

"Well," said the Jack who had a worried look. "You... You have to choose between the four Kings and nations. So the first few weeks will consist of you travelling to the different lands. I have already chosen an escort for you. Traditionally, the Queens travel to the farthest land to begin with before making their way home, meeting the rest of the Kings on the way. When they get back, they meet their own King."

"I don't meet him now?"

"No," said the Jack, shaking his head, his curl swinging in front of his face. "By tradition, you're not supposed to meet him until the end of your trip. Ah, but my brother..." He grimaced.

"Your brother's trying to subvert the tradition?" Arthur asked in shock. Their nation was old and proud of its tradition. They were, after all, the nation who started the current way of choosing their leaders. They had even been the first country to initiate it.

"Not exactly..." was the measured response. "It's more... He doesn't care too much about tradition. And he's rather impatient. He wants to see you."

Arthur lifted the teapot and poured himself some tea. He took a sip and smiled at the taste. It was perfect. And at home he was the only one who could make a decent cup. His older brothers had their own ways of making tea and Peter was too young. Having someone else make it for him was much more pleasant than he had expected...

"I take it you are keeping him away from this room, then?" he asked, forcing himself to return his attention to his mission.

"Yes. But... Just be careful. Try not to open the door to anyone but me."

"Of course. Now, about clothes..."

"Eh, yes. The doctor took your measurements while you were unconscious." The Jack averted his gaze as Arthur blushed. He stared at his teacup and took another sip. "The tailors are using them to alter the official Queen's outfit as well as making you clothes for your trip. There will be some here soon and you can get dressed. Perhaps I should see to their process." He stood. "I'll be back soon. If you need anything, I think there's a bell in the top drawer of the bedside cabinet. If you ring that, someone will come."

Arthur nodded and watched the man hurry to the door and slip out. He relaxed a little and continued eating until he had finished. He sipped his tea a few minutes more, listening to people hurrying by the door. Once it had quietened down, however, he slipped out from under his covers and hurried to the window. Looking out, he could see the city of Donnol spread out below him. It was a breathtaking view: the buildings jutted out at varying heights, some older than others, a patchwork effect that looked beautiful in the gleaming sunlight. Arthur felt as though the weather was mocking him.

Then he looked down and he cursed his luck. He seemed to be on the third floor of the castle. There was no way he could jump out of the window. He glanced towards the bed. Perhaps he could make a rope by tying the bedclothes into a rope. Though, if he was to do that, he should try to open the window.

The knock on the door stopped him. He froze and turned round.

"Wh-who is it?" Arthur called out.

There was a brief hesitation. "It's Matthew! Could ya open the door?"

"Who?"

"The Jack, dude, c'mon!"

Arthur frowned. Surely he couldn't be back already? Though, he suppose, that the tailors had probably been working long hours to get everything ready. Perhaps they had finished now. He glanced down at himself and felt a blush at his cheeks. "P-Please wait a moment. I'll be there shortly."

"'Kay!" came the reply.

Arthur hurried to the bed, took the tray to the table and pulled at the heavy covers. He soon realised that there was a lighter one tucked in below them and so extricated it from the bed. Making sure it covered him, he awkwardly made his way to the door. Once there, he turned the handle and pulled the door open a little. He peered through.

On the other side was a young man who looked remarkably like Matthew, though he seemed taller. He also wore glasses but his eyes were a sparkling blue colour. His hair was a golden colour, a cowlick defying his brush. He was wearing a low-cut shirt, black trousers and boots. "Yo!" he said.

Arthur tried to close the door.

A hand stopped it from closing. "What're you doing?" he asked, a grin on his face.

He blushed at the idiot's expression. "I-I'm not dressed!" he exclaimed, shoving at the door more while trying to keep himself covered.

The King peered at him before blushing a little. "Ah, yeah," he said as he took in the Spade, Heart and Diamond marks that were clearly visible. "Well... Don't you have any clothes yet?"

"No, idiot. Your brother went to get me the tailor-made clothes. I knew he had come back too fast..."

"Well... If he's coming back soon, I'd better go before I get into trouble." He laughed loudly and Arthur winced. Then he turned and left Arthur standing, barely covered at the door. He closed it and dragged the sheet back to the bed. He wondered whether he would get into trouble for talking with the King; just in case, he began to try tucking the sheet back into its original position. The other covers were all over the place, too.

He had just finished his task when there was another knock at the door. "Queen? May I come in?"

"Ah! Yes, wait-! I mean, yes, of course!" Arthur hurriedly slid under the neat covers and pulled the covers a bit to ruffle them, trying to make them look slept in. He tried to relax and nervously smiled at the Jack as he entered, hoping it didn't show on his face. He was empty-handed, though, and the smile swiftly turned to a frown. "Are they not finished?"

"No, sorry," said the young man with a grimace. "I'm afraid that they need another hour to finish. And I have to attend to your travel arrangements. Would you mind waiting or shall I get you something of mine to wear in the meantime."

Arthur studied him. The man was taller than him. If his clothes were tailored for the Jack, it would dwarf him. He shook his head. "I will make do with waiting."

"Well, I will send the tailors up once they have finished. I will now take my leave, my Queen."

He frowned. "I'm not Queen yet. Just call me Arthur."

"Eh, then, you should call me Matthew," he said, smiling. It was a kind, genuine smile and Arthur was taken aback. He silently watched him leave, pausing at the door to say, "I'll see you later, Arthur."

"Goodbye... Matthew."

A few minutes after he had gone, Arthur groaned and put his head in his hands. What was he doing, becoming on first name terms with the people here? He couldn't let this go on much longer. Luckily, it seemed as though everyone was busy and would leave him alone. All he had to do was wait for his clothes and then get out of the window. He'd go find Peter, make sure he was safe and then-

He wasn't sure what to do after that – going on the run with a child was selfish of him. How could he do that to the poor boy after everything that had already happened? But if they didn't, he'd just wind up back here with a guard. This was the worst possible situation. And it didn't help that he was starting to feel lonely. He curled up, hugging his knees and buried his face in the soft covers.

Once again, there was a knock at the door. He looked up and frowned. He had lost track of time somewhat but, surely, an hour had not passed already? "Hello?" he said.

"Yo, dude – open the door!"

"What?! No! I'm not supposed to let you in here!" Arthur pulled the covers up higher, concerned. Why had he come back?

"I have some clothes for you!"

He hesitated. If he got clothes now, he could be gone before he was forced into something ridiculous. Unless, of course, the King was going to make fun of him and force him into a dress. Arthur blushed as he stood up and walked to the door, leaving the covers behind this time. Instead, he had picked up a pillow and used it to cover his lower region. Once again, he opened the door only slightly.

The King grinned at him. "Hey, Arthur! I'm Alfred by the way! Oh, here!" He handed Arthur a folded pile of clothes. He held out his hand and let the King place them on it.

"I'm not supposed to be introduced to you yet, you know," Arthur reminded him.

"Ah, yeah. I'll wait out here while you get dressed." He pulled the door closed before Arthur could point out his stupidity.

Arthur moved to the bed and shook out the clothes. They consisted of underwear, a white shirt and grey trousers. They were undistinguished and Arthur decided that they were probably servants' clothes. They also appeared to be the correct size. He blushed at the thought of Alfred sizing him on their first meeting. However, this was good. Now he had clothes and he could run away. He grinned and slipped them on.

As he rushed to the window, the King's voice came through the door. "Hey. Are you finished yet? If Mattie comes by, I'll be shouted at."

"No, sorry. I, uh, got tangled in the shirt. Don't worry, though – Matthew said he was going to be busy getting things ready for tomorrow." He frowned at the window. He couldn't find any catches or handles or any other way to open it. He would have to smash it. But... To defile a Spade in this country... That was treason.

"Really? Great! Although..."

As Alfred paused, Arthur cursed his curiosity as he asked, "What's wrong?"

"It's so unfair! Why do I have to be the last one to officially meet you! You're going to be my Queen so why can't I?"

"Hey, you're presuming too much. The Queens can choose to work in another country." He looked at the vase. That would be perfect for smashing the window. And... It couldn't be treason if he was the one he was going against, right?

"Yeah, but they all choose their own country. I'd love to have that..."

"What?"

"That freedom..."

Arthur paused in his musings of how to muffle the sound of breaking glass. His eyes widened. So the King didn't want to be in his official position either. Now, if he could just convince him to let him go, there would be no need of climbing out of windows. "But you're the King. You have the most freedom as possible in this country. You could run away with whoever you wanted and no-one would care as long as they got their bread for the day."

The King laughed. "Nah, I have to do what people tell me to. Like, I can't come in and see you. Are you finished- Mattie! Yo! D'you know what's in here, haha?"

Freezing, Arthur eyed the vase and window. Should he just make a break for it. But it was too late – he heard a scuffing noise on the other side of the door before it opened and Matthew entered, holding the door open for a man bearing multiple clothes. The Jack was now in his official clothing.

"Hello, Arthur," said Matthew, frowning at the clothes Arthur was wearing. "I hope that no formal introductions were made?"

"Eh... Uh..." Arthur wasn't sure what to say. He settled on: "I wouldn't say they were quite formal..."

Matthew grimaced but didn't say anything. Instead, he turned to the tailor. He seemed to be about to introduce him when the man hurried forward, placing the clothes gently on the bed. "I only have one outfit - it's the only one ready at the moment," he declared in a squeaky voice. Arthur took in his appearance. He was small and balding and seemed to have a permanent scowl on his face. However, he radiated an aura of ferocity that worried the Queen – he had the feeling he would not like what would be about to happen. "Take those miserable excuse for rags off immediately! They look like they could infect your proper clothes with drabness." As he began to move towards the bed, Arthur was squeaked at once again. "Where are you going?"

"I-I'm going to cover myself up, if I have to remove my clothes."

"We don't have time for that!" And, with that said, the man violently pulled the plain trousers and underwear down. Arthur gasped and covered himself with his hands as quickly as possible. Matthew, meanwhile, blushed and spun round.

"I-I'll wait outside..." he said, quietly as he slipped out of the room. The tailor paid him no heed and began to tug at the top. Arthur glared at him. He glared back.

"Raise your hands!" demanded the small man.

"No!" snapped Arthur, narrowing his eyes further.

"How else am I going to get this hideous piece of cloth off you?"

"I happen to like this!" Arthur really didn't care that much for what he was wearing but he could see what appeared to be layers upon layers of clothes on the bed and didn't want them. He also didn't want to reveal his lower regions to this man ever again.

"Then we'll just have to stand here until you take it off yourself."

Inwardly groaning but still glaring, Arthur pulled one arm out of the shirt while the other hand continued guarding himself. Then he pulled it off his head and let it drop to his wrist where he held it as a shield in front of himself.

"Good, good, now, let's get you into some underwear." Arthur had never heard such amazing words and willingly let the man hold open a pair of brilliantly white underwear open. When he pulled them up, Arthur realised by the feel that they were cotton. They were incredibly soft and comfortable and they fitted him like a glove.

Next, the tailor picked up a pair of trousers. They were a navy colour, soft and fitted. They were extremely comfortable, more so than any he had worn before. After that, Arthur was forced into a white linen shirt, a navy waistcoat and a navy jacket which was a little longer than his waist and plaited at the bottom few inches. With that arrangement, he looked as though he was constantly moving, or so it seemed when the tailor dragged him to the wardrobe and pushed him in front of the full-length mirror. The tailor nodded, picked up the few garments Arthur had been wearing beforehand between a thumb and forefinger and left the room.

For a few moments, Arthur was on his own and he admired himself in the mirror. It was odd on him and he almost didn't recognise himself. In fact, he looked better than he did in his usual clothes – he looked scrawny in them. Now he looked much more majestic and as though he had more of a handle on his life, save for his hair which was as messy as usual. He frowned and sighed – he was starting to like how he was being treated and he hated himself for it. He had to resist.

The door opened and the Jack re-entered, a pair of boots in his hand. He smiled at Arthur and the Queen had to try to resist letting himself relax. "How do you feel?" he asked, kindly.

"Fine," Arthur replied, shortly.

"That's good, eh?" Matthew said with another smile. "The other tailors appear to be finished and I have packed your trunk already. Larry, the man who was here just now, will be going along with you so as to help you with anything you need during dressing. And adjust anything that needs it. He's also a very good fighter so he will be able to protect you."

"Protect me from what?" asked Arthur as he was handed the boots. He pulled them on as he heard the reply.

"Well... The Clubs are never too friendly around this time and their citizens turn to piracy more than ever. The ship you'll be travelling on could be attacked en route. It doesn't happen often, though, so you won't need to worry much."

"I suppose all I need to worry about is the sea creatures which killed the last King and Queen," said Arthur, thoughtlessly. He examined himself in the mirror, glaring at the Heart mark which was clearly visible. He wished his clothes could cover it. Glancing at Matthew, he saw that he had a sad look and he was staring resolutely at the ground. For a moment, he was greatly confused – and then what he had said hit him like a bad blow. "I- I am so sorry!" he gasped. "I-"

"It's okay," said Matthew with a sad smile.

"Ah, but, really..."

"It really doesn't matter, Arthur. You don't need to apologise. Besides, if we don't leave now, the sailors will become irritated."

"Sailors?" asked Arthur, frowning.

"Yes. You need to set off to Diamonds as soon as possible."

"Today?! But... I just woke up! I thought we would be leaving tomorrow!"

Matthew gave him a serious look. "For this kingdom and for all the other kingdoms to continue running, we need to have you meet all four Kings as soon as possible. You are already late, from your own actions. You will be spending less than the usual appointed time in each King's company. This is unfortunate but we have no other choice. As such, please follow me." And his serious face became a happy smile, as if he had just checked off something on a large list of things to do.

As Arthur followed him helplessly to the door, he wondered what to do. How could he get away from him in this castle, in the carriage no doubt waiting for him, or the ship he'd be on for his journey to Diamonds, the furthest kingdom from Spades?

There was nothing he could do bar tolerate it for now.

* * *

After being delivered to the docks in a large black carriage, Arthur eyed the gangplank warily. Once he started up the piece of wood, there would be no turning back. Could he get away now? He was close to his home – not for the first time since he had woken up, his thoughts turned to Peter and he worried, wondering if he was behaving himself. And if he was taking his lessons seriously. And eating properly.

"Arthur?" said Matthew. The Jack was looking at him with concern and Arthur snapped to attention. There were lots of people around, carrying sacks and crates to the ship – he could not slip away unnoticed. He turned reluctantly and followed the Jack up the gangplank.

Once on deck, he was taken to a group of three men who seemed to have been waiting for him. One was tall with brown hair, a bandage over his nose. Another was shorter than Arthur and had arranged his blonde hair in what appeared to be buns either side of his head. The third man had much more tanned skin than all of them with a red jewel stuck to his forehead. The latter two smiled at him and the first one grinned – he reminded Arthur of Alfred and he resisted rolling his eyes.

"These men will be your escort," explained Matthew. "This is Riley." He pointed at the man with the bandage. The man instantly stuck out his hand and Arthur took it to shake. He found himself in a tight grip and felt as though his arm was going to be wrenched from its socket as the man jerked his arm up and down.

"Wotcher!" grinned Riley. "I just like that word, y'know?"

Arthur couldn't resist rolling his eyes as he muttered a "hello".

"This is Charlie," Matthew continued and the smaller man stuck out his hand. When Arthur took it, he found his hand being gripped softly. It was almost like a woman's touch and Arthur looked at him more carefully as he said hello. Now that he looked closer, the man could be a woman. But it was hard to tell.

"Hi," Charlie said with a smile. "Nice to meet you." Arthur nodded in agreement.

"And, finally, this is Rajesh."

The man bowed with hands placed together before also holding out his hand to shake. In surprise, Arthur bowed a little and took it, shaking it hurriedly. "Namastē," he said with a smile.

"Ah. Er, hello," said Arthur, surprised to meet someone from the south of Spades. He had never left Donnol in his life and had barely seen Southerners around the city. They tended to stay in the one place in the country with sun.

"Please listen to any safety advice they give you. They _do_ know what they are doing. Aside from Alfred and I, these three are the best guards in the palace." He smiled at Arthur. "Good luck. I've told Larry all you need to know on what to do when you get there."

"You're not coming?" asked Arthur, aghast.

"No, sorry," said Matthew with a grimace. "I must get back to the castle. I have a lot of work I need to get through. And I need to find Alfred – as we were leaving, I was told that he's disappeared."

"What?!" exclaimed Arthur. "Why didn't you tell me-?" He broke off. He felt as though he was overstepping his boundaries and assuming too much of his role. Which he didn't want, anyway. He was also rather worried – had he accidentally convinced the King to abandon his duties and run off somewhere?

"I didn't want to worry you, my Queen," said the Jack with a small smile. "I'm sure he'll turn up."

Arthur gave him a dubious look which Matthew returned with a mildly worried one. Then he turned and swept off. Arthur watched him leave and then turned to his escort. They were watching him, as if wanting some orders. "Ah..." he said, wondering what to do. "Do I have my own room? I think I will stay in there until we cast off. Keep myself out from under the sailors' feet."

"Yeah," said Riley. "If you'll follow us, we'll show you where to go, mate."

"Shouldn't you be calling me 'Queen'?"

"Do you _want_ us to call you 'Queen'?" asked Charlie with a smile.

He hesitated. "No. Just call me Arthur. Ah, unless we're in a King's company and then you should probably call me 'Queen'."

"Well, this way, Arthur," said Rajesh and walked along to the aft of the ship.

* * *

Once the ship was moving and they had gotten a few yards from the dock, Arthur climbed back onto deck. He breathed in. The sea air was pleasant and he felt a little more free. For the moment, he forgot all his worries and walked to the edge of the ship. Leaning on the side of the ship, he watched the water lapping at the wood below him. The breeze ruffled his hair and cooled his face. Behind him, the sailors were calling to each other. He listened to the cries of the seagulls flying above them. His escort would be watching him, of course, but he didn't satisfy them with a look. He would have to escape them once they got back, of course, so he couldn't become too friendly with them.

"This is fun, isn't it?! I haven't been to Diamonds since my dad took me a few years ago!"

Arthur slowly turned to the voice and stared in shock at the King standing beside him. He was still wearing the plain clothes from earlier, though his trousers had been rolled up to the knees. Somewhere along the way, he had discarded his boots and was now barefoot. He was grinning at Arthur.

"Y-You..."

"Yo!" said the King with a grin. "I decided that I should come with you!"

"But you have work to do here!"

"Mattie'll do it for me! I want to get to know you better!"

Arthur glared at the stupid King. How could he possibly be their ruler? He was going to run the country into the ground unless someone took him hand.

Someone other than himself, of course.

Glancing at the harbour and the distance between, he surveyed the taller man. He seemed a good build. Broad shoulders, powerful arms. But the main question was... "Can you swim?" he asked Alfred.

"Yeah! Riley taught me! It's so much fun in the summer! Can you?"

"Ah, yes, yes. Hey, did you see that?" Arthur pointed down at the water below them. Excitedly, the King cried out and leaned over the ship, trying to see what Arthur had been pointing at. He took this chance to shove the King with all his might. With another cry, the King fell over the ship. He watched him hit the water and after a few minutes, a little away from Arthur, he came up, gasping for air. Arthur hurried to the aft of the ship to make sure he didn't climb back on. He looked a little disoriented for a moment – and that moment cost him his chance to get back on board. He kept himself afloat, watching Arthur and the ship leaving him behind. Arthur gave him a cheery wave before he turned to swim for land. "King overboard," he added to Charlie whom had appeared at his elbow whilst he hadn't been paying attention.

"Thanks," said the guard, to Arthur's amazement. "We would never have gotten him off the ship otherwise." He patted his arm gently and walked off. Arthur had the feeling he had just been accepted by the very guards he wanted to escape from when they got home.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Original A/N:  
> Okay, Slade is a term that people in Spades use to describe citizens of Clubs that immigrated to Spades. (Slade also happens to be a real word as opposed to "Clade" as I was originally going to use.) To describe Diamonds living in Spades, they use the term "Diadem" and for Hearts, they call them "Hardy".


	3. Brilliance

It took almost a week to reach Diamonds. During that time, Arthur was given the run of the ship – the only person with higher authority than him was the captain. He felt a freedom he had never tasted before and the sea air made him feel a lot more alive and much less stressed. He loved to watch the sea creatures below him and he adored his talks with the captain. The man in question was large but silent, his hat was a deep shade of blue to match his naval uniform. His hair was dark brown, almost black, and his eyes were a faded green which would become blue in certain lights. He seemed to have taken a liking to Arthur and would talk to him about his sea-faring adventures.

Once, he even mentioned the large one which had killed the King and Queen. "Aye, I saw that beast with my own eyes. A real brute. A huge purple thing with one large, black eye. And tentacles – lots of tentacles. Tried to take down this very ship. See that mark there? That's from one of the hooks in its tentacles. Latched on and wouldn't let go. Took several harpoon guns to the eye before it did."

Arthur was impressed and in awe of him. He had both the freedom of the sea and was also serving his country. Arthur wished that he was in his position and often spoke to him. His guards, however, he tried not to speak to: he didn't want to get any closer to them and then have to get them in trouble. It would prey on his mind. Larry, however, was not one for nonsense and, whenever he managed to corner Arthur in his official cabin, he would teach Arthur the various procedures for meeting the Kings. His squeaky voice gave Arthur headaches which he found was the perfect excuse to get rid of him.

The day that they arrived at Diamonds, Arthur watched the foreign land getting closer. It looked very beautiful in the sun as they passed fields of daylilies and orange chrysanthemums. The entire land seemed to be dressed in the national colours of Diamonds. The ship rounded the headland slowly. Arthur, despite his reluctance to meet the King, was impatient to set eyes on the famous city of Jibineg. When they finally got clear and started sailing into the natural harbour, Arthur rushed up to the bow of the ship. He gasped at the splendour before him.

Instead of the greys and browns of the buildings in Donnol, Jibineg showcased the splendour of their main industry – the mining of diamonds. The buildings seemed to sparkle in the sunlight. Most of them were a clear sparkle although there were spots in the city which reflected an orange light. In the middle of the city, though, was a building which sparkled more than the rest – the castle. Although they couldn't see from where they were, Arthur knew that, like Donnol was in the shape of a Spade, Jibineg was in the shape of a Diamond.

They docked and there was a sudden flurry of activity with sailors coming and going. Arthur glanced around, unsure of what to do. He saw his guards approaching and turned, intending to find something to do instead of being escorted off the ship like a fragile noble. Instead, he found Larry glaring up at him. "Come," he demanded. Arthur hesitated before following him to his cabin. "Strip."

"Excuse me?!"

"Get out of those drab clothes! I thought I told you that you have to wear what I tell you!" The smaller man glared at Arthur's blue trousers and sky blue shirt. The worn black boots he had owned at home finished off his simple 'at sea' outfit. He felt rather comfortable in them but he had gone against Larry's advice and worn them without the rest of the intended outfit. Now, however, it seemed as though Larry would not let it slide.

"And I thought I told you not to be in the same room whilst I was getting changed," said Arthur with his own glare. For a moment, they stared at each other. Then Larry shook his balding head and stormed to the door.

He paused only to say, "Your outfit is on the bunk. You had best wear _all_ of it." Then he swept from the room, the door closing with a soft click.

Arthur looked at the pile of neatly folded clothes on the bunk before sighing. Being told what to wear was getting on his nerves. He picked up the shirt to find that it was a sky blue. It was a beautiful colour and immediately reminded Arthur of his week at sea. He smiled lightly; Larry didn't seem to be all that bad. After slipping it on, he found that the trousers matched, a shade of deep sky blue. He smiled and slipped them on, too, replacing his boots with new, sleek and shiny black boots. Over the shirt, he pulled on a waistcoat of an orchid violet colour and the whole outfit was completed by a royal blue coat. This one reached his knees with the arms tight until the elbows where they became loose frills. He also found a small golden pocket watch with a Spade on the casing and, when he popped it open, he found that it was also on the face. The hands also ended in small Spades. A long necklace was also there, a Spade attached to it. The black of the Spade was at odds with the gold chain but Arthur put it on regardless. It seemed to be something official.

When he emerged from the cabin, he found Larry and his guards waiting for him on deck. Finding them staring at him, he forced himself not to blush and drew himself upright as far as he could. Larry beamed at him.

"Yes. Yes!" exclaimed Larry, hurrying towards Arthur and pulling him towards the other three. "You pull that off splendidly! Simple and yet elegant. Commoner yet noble. Kind yet commanding! I have outdone myself this year!"

"Yeah, he looks a right sight," said Riley with a grin.

"He does look-" began Charlie but Arthur cut across them, a little annoyed at Larry's 'kind yet commanding' comment.

"Yes, yes – the clothes are good. Can we get this over and done with? I'd rather like to go home as soon as possible."

"Really?" asked Rajesh. "You seemed to be having fun on our trip, Mahārānī." He smiled softly at Arthur who flushed red.

"Sh-Shut-! That has nothing to do with it!" He thought quickly, trying to think of an excuse as to why he wanted to return as quickly as possible. "I am just worried about Alfred not working properly."

The three guards glanced at each other with knowing smirks. Too late, Arthur realised that, if he wasn't intending to be Queen, he shouldn't be calling the King by his personal name. He cursed himself – the guards seemed to be more perceptive than he had previously thought. Getting away from them would be difficult.

At that point, the captain crossed the deck to speak to them. "There be a carriage waiting for you. You'll only be a day, aye?" he added, turning to Larry.

"Ah, yes. A day for introductions and the like with a night stay at the castle. We should be back on board by tomorrow evening at the latest. You can wait till then?"

The captain nodded. "Aye. We'll be waiting till then."

Larry nodded curtly before turning to Arthur. "Come along, Your Highness."

"I'm not Queen yet!" snapped Arthur, glaring at the smaller man.

He sighed and reworded his order. "Come along, Arthur."

Arthur followed him down the gangplank. At the bottom a glittering coach waited for them. It was being pulled by two white horses, orange plumes attached by large diamonds to their heads. The driver was wearing a white suit with coattails, a diamond at his lapel instead of a flower. He nodded to them as they all clambered in. Arthur was relieved that it was a large carriage – the three guards sat backwards, across from him. Larry sat near one window; Arthur opted to sit as far from him as possible, staring outside.

As they passed the houses surrounding the dock, Arthur realised that, instead of the houses being made of diamonds as he had thought, they were simply decorated for their arrival. Flowerpots with diamonds in them sat outside their windows. Hanging baskets with jewels draped over them swung slightly in the sea breeze. The people in the streets stopped and stared silently as the carriage passed. They were all well-dressed and everyone had at least one diamond affixed to their attire. Even what he assumed were street urchins had some, though Arthur doubted they would for very long.

Finally, they reached the castle gates which sparkled with yet more diamonds and they were pushed open with a loud creak. The guards stood to attention at the side and the carriage rattled through. Arthur watched a large garden filled with oranges and pale pinks and yellows roll by until, with a final few clops of hooves on stone, the carriage drew to a halt in front of the huge palace. He peered out at it, taking in the glare of the diamonds in the setting sun and the stained glass Diamonds in the windows. There were three people waiting outside for them. Arthur reached out to open the door but Larry slapped at his hand. Surprised, Arthur glanced at him as the driver opened the door for him instead. He was going to alight when Riley pushed his way in front, glancing around as he did so. For a moment, Arthur was offended – then he realised that Riley was making sure there were no threats to his safety. He frowned a little and clambered out as delicately as he could.

The three people waiting for them all had black hair and dark eyes. One of them had a bored looking expression and was wearing dark orange breeches, white stockings and black shoes with an orange shirt which had overly long arms. A Diamond motif was at the hems of his shirt and there were diamonds attached to his shoes. A small Diamond hair comb was affixed to his hair like a hat. The second person, Arthur could not tell whether he was a man or woman – his long, black hair was tied back with the hair thrown forward over a shoulder so that it was visible. The person was also wearing dark orange breeches, white stockings and black shoes. The shirt was a little longer on the body and there was a Diamond over the breast. A small crown decorated liberally with diamonds was also being worn. Finally, the last man was wearing what appeared to be orange robes, a yellow tie to keep it closed. He was wearing white socks with his sandals which were elevated. Arthur did not need to wonder who he was – the Diamond mark on his cheek confirmed him as the Queen. Quickly, Arthur determined that the one with the crown was King Yao and the other must be Jack Sun.

Arthur bowed slightly and straightened up. He was about to do the customary introduction when Riley suddenly stepped in front of him. "Everything's clear, mate," he told Arthur, a grin on his face.

"You're quite safe," added Charlie with a smile.

When Arthur glanced at Larry questioningly, he noted that the small man looked furious. This was not supposed to happen. It was all cleared up, however, when Rajesh spoke softly behind him. "Alfred told us to make sure you picked him."

Scowling, Arthur skirted around Riley and bowed to Yao once again. "Greetings, King Yao," he said before anyone else could interrupt. "My name is Arthur Kirkland. It is a pleasure to meet you." He held out the hand with the Diamond mark on it for him to inspect.

Yao seemed rather confused at the interruption for a moment but quickly regained his composure. He bowed and the Queen and Sun followed suit. "Wènhòu, Arthur Kirkland. It is a pleasure to meet you too, aru." He lifted Arthur's hand and inspected the mark. Then he nodded and stepped back.

The Jack stepped forward and also inspected the mark. Then he said, "Wènhòu, Arthur Kirkland." He nodded at both him and the King before stepping back once again.

Finally, the Queen stepped forward. He bowed as well, but didn't take Arthur's hand. "Aisatsu, Arthur Kirkland-san. It is nice to meet you. My name is Kiku – I hope we can be good friends." He smiled slightly at Arthur and the Spade felt his lips twitch upwards in a small smile of his own.

"Qǐng. Follow me," said Yao. Arthur nodded in acknowledgement and did so. Yao walked through the open doors which still sparkled in the sunlight. Inside, Arthur felt that the castle was cold. The walls glittered and the floors, instead of the carpets of the Spade castle, were smooth and shone from the use of polish. Arthur's boots clicked on the surface, echoing off the silent walls. The inner doors they passed seemed to be made of paper and Arthur could see no handles. The bannisters of the stairs they walked up were decorated with diamonds in a mural of flowers and birds and beautiful noblewomen and men. The diamonds on this were not just orange or yellow but various colours. At the top of the stairs, Arthur could see men and women who were wearing the four colours of the four countries. Finally, they reached a room with an dull orange paper door and Yao stopped. He turned to the group of people who had followed him. "I must ask everyone apart from Arthur to wait elsewhere, aru. The Jack will be happy to show you to the garden, aru." The Jack and Kiku bowed and Larry followed them. The guards looked reluctant but finally followed as well. Arthur followed the King into the room.

It turned out to be a study. A large desk with a border of small diamonds around the edge took up much of the room. Filing cabinets lined the walls and shelves of faded and worn books took up the remaining wall space. A floor-to-ceiling window looked out onto a balcony. The tinkling of a wind chime could be heard and Arthur spotted one in the shape of a Diamond. King Yao rounded the desk and sat down, inviting Arthur to do the same. Arthur did so with a nod before looking up at him.

"You know it is customary for each King to try his hardest to convince you to serve their country, even though they would rather you picked your own country, aru?" he asked, bluntly.

A little taken aback, Arthur hesitated before answering. "Yes, I am well aware. I have to also seriously consider each King's points and choose accordingly."

"Well, this will make things a little easier, aru." Yao leaned forward slightly and Arthur unintentionally mirrored his action. "We have diamonds, aru. And our trade with the other three countries is good. With all these riches, we are able to do a lot of the things we would like, aru. I can give you numerable gifts as well."

"Money and jewels is not-" Arthur began but Yao continued to speak and he paused.

"We also have a vast amount of knowledge, aru." Arthur glanced at the books on the shelf above him, wondering what answers it contained. "We have advanced our medicine beyond what the other countries have, aru. And Kiku is skilled at making things I have yet to see any other person create. I would much like to have him be my Queen but, if he chooses to serve elsewhere, and you wish for me to share this knowledge with you, I would choose my country, aru."

There was a silence filled only by the tinkling of the wind chime and the chirping of birds. Taking a deep, calming breath, Arthur said, "That is a very nice offer King Yao. I will think upon this when it is time to make my decision."

King Yao smiled and nodded. "Allow me to escort you to the garden, aru. Do you like tea? We will be serving that, aru."

Arthur nodded with a smile. "Yes; of course I like tea. Thank you very much," he added politely.

They walked in silence. Arthur was grateful for this because it gave him time to think. If he chose to serve with Yao, he could get away from that annoying Alfred for one thing. How dare he tell the guards to mess up his official introduction to the King of Diamonds?! He had looked a complete fool! Also, if he served the Diamonds, he would have money. Money to pay people to find Peter, to bring him to the castle. To smuggle him in, if necessary. He would be able to live with Peter in relative comfort. This country had little problems, although he had heard that a lot of people were crammed into the cities. If he recalled correctly, however, a smaller city called Kyoot had problems with its population. Arthur, however, felt that he could correct this somehow.

When they reached the garden, Arthur was surprised. He had been half-expecting it to be made from diamonds, glittering in the setting sun. However, the garden was covered in stones raked into certain patterns. Large rocks separated the flowerbeds from the rest of the space: most of the flowers planted there were daylilies. A tree to one side sprouted pink flowers and Arthur recognised it as a species of cherry. A small water feature consisted of a pipe which caught running water till it tipped and poured it into the ceramic bowl below. At the back of the rather small garden was a forest of bamboo cramped between the walls. On the wooden porch, however, there was a couple of small metal tables. The three guards and Larry were sitting at one with a teapot in front of them and several odd-looking cups. Larry seemed to be annoyed and the others were looking uncomfortable. The Jack and Kiku were sitting at another table with two other chairs waiting for Arthur and Yao. They sat down and Arthur continued to look at the garden: he admired its simplicity yet it had a startlingly ancient beauty. It truly reflected its country's heart, he felt: Diamonds may be a rich country but they enjoyed simple pleasures.

"Would you like some tea, Arthur-san?" asked Kiku.

"Ah, yes. Please," said Arthur, bringing his attention back to the table. He watched as Kiku poured tea from a pot without a strainer. His brow furrowed a little as he was passed the small ceramic cup. It had no handle and he gingerly accepted it from Kiku, eyeing it with distrust. Looking inside, he found that the tea was a strange colour, more yellow than brown. It almost looked green and he could clearly see the leaves at the bottom.

"It is tea from Kyoot, Arthur-san. That was my home before..." He left the sentence hanging, as though he did not want to commit himself to saying that he had moved here. He seemed to be a very careful young man, making sure his desires were kept to himself.

"It will be a pleasure to try this, then, Kiku," said Arthur with a smile. He was beginning to like the other man and felt he would get on well with him despite the countries they chose.

Not that he was going to choose any, he reminded himself.

He sipped at his tea as Yao stood and excused himself. He returned a few moments later with a box and a smile. "Would anyone like some sweets, aru?" he asked them all. Sun and Kiku refused; the guards and Larry brightened up and looked around. However, they seemed to be looking to Arthur for approval.

Meanwhile, Arthur was feeling a little peckish and nodded. "Yes, please. I would love to sample the food from your country."

"That is good, aru!" said Yao as he smiled happily. He offered the box to Arthur who looked in to see what he would be eating. The things inside were small white balls with little red dots on them. On closer inspection, as he lifted one out, he saw that it seemed to be made of rice. Unsure as to whether it would even be any good, he flashed Yao a small smile and opened his mouth.

"That will be five hundred Yenmik, qǐng," said Yao happily.

He gaped at him with the thing still hovering in front of his mouth. Quickly, he worked out how much that would be in Dounds. 82 Dounds was a little much for a sweet of this size. In fact, that amount of money could feed both Peter and Arthur for a couple of days, if he spent it wisely. He was about to put it back in the box when he heard Larry clearing his throat. The small man hurried over as Arthur blinked in surprise.

"Your money bag, Your High- Mr. Kirkland," he said, handing over a very heavy bag. Even without looking, Arthur knew it was more money than he had ever had at one time. He had certainly never held a money bag this heavy.

Opening it, however, he found something strange inside. There were neither Dounds nor Yenmik inside. Instead, the coins proclaimed they were Kards around the edge of the holes which were in the middle. They were larger than the coins he was used to and he had read that Yenmik was, strangely, handled in paper form. He turned them over as he examined them and found a picture of a ship sailing across the waves which surrounded the hole on the back. He glanced up at Larry with a frown.

"Is there something the matter, aru?" asked Yao, also frowning.

"Ah, no, no, Your Majesty," said Larry quickly. Arthur has just never seen a Kard before, I believe. Never left Donnol, have you?"

"No... But I've read," he added defensively, staring back down at the Kard.

"Well, Kards are an inter-kingdom currency. They can be used everywhere, Arthur," Larry explained. "In this situation, eighty-two Dounds becomes sixty-three Kards. Which, when exchanged for Yenmik, is an equivalent of five hundred Yenmik."

"Ah, I see," said Arthur, trusting the little man. He counted out six of the larger 10 Kards coins and three of the smaller 1 Kard coins. Then he handed them over to Yao who smiled broadly.

"Shall I buy the four of us a treat each as well, sir?" prompted Larry.

"Oh. Yes. Yes, of course," said Arthur hurriedly.

Larry took the money bag and went back to his own table. Yao followed, the promise of more money too much for him to pass up. Arthur returned to his rice sweet and picked it up again. He took a bite and was surprised to find it had a sugary filling.

"It is called Ai wo wo, Arthur-san," said Kiku.

Arthur nodded. "It's delicious! I've never tasted anything so amazing!" He decided not to mention his accidents in the kitchen. He quickly polished off the snack, feeling satisfied and a little happier. Across from him, Sun was watching him blankly. A little unnerved, he looked to Kiku for conversation. "Have you made a decision on your country yet?" he asked for lack of something to say.

"Chigau," said Kiku. "The countries each have something to offer the Queens. It is difficult to ascertain the country which would benefit the most from my presence."

Feeling a little guilty, Arthur took a sip of his tea. Kiku seemed to be rather selfless, thinking of the countries rather than himself. He would definitely be a good friend. He set the cup down. "Well, I have only visited one country so far but Diamonds is rather a beautiful country. I was not expecting it to shine with such a brilliance."

"Hai. King Yao made a great effort for each of the Queens."

"That was kind of him."

At that moment, Yao reappeared and sat at the table. He sipped his tea. "You must be hungry, Arthur. We will have to set up the feast soon, aru."

"Feast?" asked Arthur, surprised.

"Shì. It is customary for Diamonds to celebrate the arrival of the other Queens with a feast. The Queens can then meet with the families of the Kings."

"Oh," said Arthur, a little alarmed. He had been told that he would meet the King's family but Larry had been unsure as to how the current King would undertake that task. He hadn't expected there to be a feast or any sort of party. He had expected a formal meeting, a rest for the night and then get ready and leave. He sipped at his tea a little nervously.

"Shall I help you get the necessary things ready, Yao-sama?" asked Kiku.

"Hào," Yao replied. "Sun can help me, aru. Although, it would be good if you got ready." He stood up and bowed to Arthur. Sun did the same; he still had a blank look on his face. "We will leave you here so you can relax, aru." Arthur nodded and they turned to go.

"Ah, wait! Excuse me, Your Majesty!" said Larry, rising from his chair. "We will need to be shown to Arthur's bed chambers. I must unpack his formal clothes and the guards..." He left the sentence unfinished but it was clear what they needed to do. Arthur was still a little confused as to who would want to hurt him in the country of Diamonds but he was glad that they were doing their jobs instead of interfering.

"I can take them there, Yao-sama," said Kiku, standing. He bowed to Arthur who bowed his head in return. Then he bowed to Larry and the guards who instinctively bowed back. "If you will follow me."

"Ah," said Charlie before anyone had moved. "One of us should stay with Arthur," she added to the other two guards.

"I am sure that I'll be fine here," said Arthur, waving his hand in dismissal. The guards looked at each other but, in the face of Arthur's authority, continued after Kiku.

In the silence, Arthur finished his tea. It was not a flavour he was used to but it was relaxing. There was a wind chime somewhere and, as it tinkled in a slight breeze; he closed his eyes to listen. With the noise of that and the birdsong, the smell of the tea and the warmth of the cup in his hands, Arthur could feel his eyelids drooping a little. He was exhausted – although he could mostly forget his troubles during the days he had travelled, lying in his bunk at night had been a different story. He had plotted and planned and he was still unsure as to how to get away from the responsibility of Queen thrust upon him. His heart clenched as he thought of his parents – he dearly wished they could help him. He wasn't sure what his brothers would say but he wished he could speak to them, too.

A loud chirping close to him made Arthur open his eyes in surprise. He blinked as he saw a small yellow bird sitting on the table beside Yao's teacup. It was rounder than any bird he had ever seen and it chirped once again as it stared up at him. Arthur felt unnerved – it seemed to him that the bird was assessing him.

Then, just as suddenly as it had appeared, the bird spread its wings and took off – flying directly at Arthur. With a startled yell, Arthur dropped his cup and threw himself backwards out of the way. The chair swung back on two legs before Arthur's weight and momentum toppled it over. With another yell, Arthur landed hard on the veranda, hitting his head off the wood. Muttering curses, he looked across the garden to see where the bird had flown to. He gasped as he saw the bird flying towards a dark shape by the bamboo thicket. Rolling over, he tried to find the shadow again, to make it out more clearly, but both it and the bird had disappeared. Those that had heard his yelling found him kneeling beside the overturned chair.

"Arthur!" exclaimed Riley, hurrying to shield him from a danger he had no knowledge of.

"I'm fine," said Arthur, still a little breathless. He felt an arm in his and he was pulled to his feet by Rajesh who inspected him for injuries. Arthur shifted uncomfortably under his gaze. "Really. There was just a bird which flew too low. I thought it was going to hit me and I threw myself too far back."

"Really?" asked Charlie who had also appeared. When Arthur looked round, he found Larry and Kiku watching from a distance. Both looked worried.

"Yes," said Arthur, eyeing the guard. He was unsure as to whether they believed him. "It landed on the table and then took off again."

"There are no injuries," said Rajesh. Arthur nodded at him. "Might I suggest that you go to your chamber and get ready for the feast. It will be starting soon, we have been assured."

Arthur nodded. "Yes. Of course," he said before following them into the castle once again. He glanced round as he entered the door but the shadow was nowhere to be seen...

* * *

The clothes Arthur found himself in were variants of a dark blue. Navy trousers, with a dark blue shirt, a royal blue waistcoat over it. The jacket was also royal blue. Once again, he had a golden pocket watch and his boots were replaced by shining black shoes. On his lapel he had an orange rose which had been specially bred and brought from the Kingdom of Spades. Arthur was rather impressed with it – he truly loved roses but his garden had none. It was attached by a pin with a diamond sparkling at its head.

When Arthur entered the dining hall, however, he was astonished to find a smaller room than he had been expecting. The room was simply decorated with a Diamond patterned paper and the table surrounded by only a few chairs – he had been expecting a lot more guests. He was quietly shown to his place opposite the King. Kiku was beside him and Sun sat beside Yao. There were other places set and one had been left at the head of the table. Arthur wondered who that was for.

The door slid open again and a girl and some men entered. Arthur made to stand up but Kiku laid a hand on his arm and shook his head slightly. The girl had long black hair, one strand of it curled. An orange flower held her hair back and she was wearing something similar to Yao though it was a light pink, an orange border around her top, a small diamond pattern barely visible. One of the men had black hair with his own curl. He was wearing a strange sort of robe which was light orange, almost white, with a blue part for the torso, a Diamond mark over his breast. The second man had spiky black hair and a pair of spectacles. He was wearing a pair of white trousers and a white jacket which was buttoned up all the way. Over his shoulder was an orange sash, diamonds decorating it. Finally, the last man also had spectacles and was wearing something similar to Yao except that it was all black, orange at the edges. Once again, a Diamond mark was over his breast. They bowed to everyone and sat down.

"Let me introduce you, aru," said Yao. "This is my mèimei, aru. Her name is Mei." He pointed at the girl who smiled and bowed. Arthur bowed his head in acknowledgement. "This one..." Yao looked at the man with the curl who grinned at Arthur. Once again, he was reminded of Alfred. "This is my dìdì, Im Yong. These are also my xiōngdì, Chakri." He pointed at the man with the sash. "And Man Hei, aru." Arthur nodded to them all and they nodded back. Looking back to Yao, he noticed the King frowning. "Where is Cam, aru?"

"She is with Māma," said Mei. Her voice was soft and had a gentle trill to it.

"I see, aru," said Yao who now looked rather stressed.

To take his mind off it and to answer a burning question, Arthur spoke up. "I thought there would be more people? More... nobles?"

"Méiyǒu. It is a family feast. To meet everyone you will be working closely with, aru."

"Oh, so... Running the country is heavily family-oriented here?"

"Shì. Often the Queens are distant cousins like Kiku, aru. And the family of the King is trusted so they are often elected as the Jack."

A family-oriented country... Perhaps he would not need to smuggle in Peter. If he just explained his family worries... Arthur nodded in understanding as he heard the door opening. He watched as Yao lowered his gaze and stood, bowing to the newcomer. Everyone else around the table did the same and Arthur hurried to his feet to do likewise. When he finally looked up, he saw who had deserved such a welcome.

The old man standing at the door had a wrinkled face with a moustache and small beard. His dark eyes held a look of power and unwavering authority. He had a black hat with an orange rim along with yellow robes. It had horseshoe-shaped sleeves and a heavy-looking collar. It was decorated with orange diamonds and dragons.

Brushing past Arthur, the former King took his place. Yao turned to Arthur. "This is my father, aru. The Former King Qing." Arthur bowed to him and the man rolled up his sleeves to greet him too. Once the introductions had been made, they all sat.

Servants dressed in orange robes then entered the room bearing the dishes for the feast. There was chicken dishes and pork dishes and dumplings and noodles and rolls of pastries. A theme of orange and yellow sauces was prevalent and Arthur looked at them warily. However, when everyone started dishing up and the table became chaotic, he took a drop of everything, both out of politeness and curiosity. Besides, he could feel his stomach grumbling.

As they ate, Arthur felt as though he was being watched. He glanced up and saw that Qing was surveying him. Arthur wondered if he should speak or not. He swallowed his mouthful and turned to the old man; the other spoke before he could.

"I do not like this man, Yao," he said slowly. Arthur froze, alarmed. "There is something wrong about him..."

Yao looked at Arthur who stared back at him in shock, his food momentarily forgotten. "Zhǎngbèi. Nǐ zài zuò shénme? Shāo hòu, wǒmen kěyǐ tǎolùn zhège wèntí." He looked at his father pointedly before smiling apologetically at Arthur.

"There is something wrong with him – he did not come forward at the correct time. I disapprove of running from your responsibilities."

Struggling to keep his temper, he glanced at the older man before returning his eyes to a piece of pork he was cutting. "I was not running from my responsibilities. Rather, I was trying to keep track of another, more important, responsibility. Sir," he added, remembering who he was speaking with.

A silence descended on the table. Nobody but Arthur was moving; the Spade continued to eat. Upon noticing the silence, he did not stop but tried to keep his movements as quiet as possible. It stretched out for a moment longer before the former King nodded. "I understand. My wife is upstairs being tended to by Cam. I will regret her passing when the time comes..."

"Oh, I am very sorry," said Arthur. "I had no idea..."

"That is all right, wǒ de érzi. It is not something we have told people. Qǐng, accept my deepest apologies for my earlier indiscretion."

"Ah, that is quite all right. And I am terribly sorry for being so short. I was just a little shocked. Might I say, though, this food is delicious. Pay my compliments to the chef!" At this last comment, he smiled at Yao.

The King bowed in acknowledgement. "I will certainly let him know, aru," he said. There was a tone of relief in his voice. Everyone continued to eat. And Arthur quickly got to know the other members of Yao's family at face value.

Mei seemed to be a quiet, happy girl. That was, until she got on the topic of couples. She shyly asked Arthur if he had sneaked off in the Spades' castle to meet the King for a tryst. Arthur almost spat his tea – which they had served with the meal – into Yao's face in surprise. After reassuring her that he had stayed in his assigned room until he was hurried off to the ship, he wiped his mouth on a napkin and continued eating, much to Mei's apparent disappointment.

Meanwhile, Yao was not having a much better time. Somehow, Sun – who was still as quiet as before – had swapped seats with Im Yong and the younger man was leaning on his older brother. He grinned and chatted amicably. Yao shrank far away from him without leaving his seat but to no avail. He finally snapped when Im Yong claimed that he had made most of the dishes.

"You did not, aru!" he exclaimed, pushing Im Yong onto his own seat. "Stop fabricating lies, Dìdì!" Im Yong pouted a little and sat back down, moodily eating.

Arthur tried to make conversation with Sun but the Jack was quiet and replied with as short an answer as Arthur thought possible. He had more luck with Chakri and Man Hei, easily talking with them about the garden and other such things.

With Kiku, however, he got on best and, although he could speak fairly easily with Yao, he talked to his fellow Queen the most. Perhaps that was for the best, he found himself thinking – if the Queens got on...

But he wasn't going to be any Queen, he once again reminded himself.

* * *

When Arthur was staring at the platform he had been assured was a bed, he thought over Yao's offer. If Arthur became Queen, he would have all the money in the world. He would never have to worry about his income ever again and could even send money to Peter. But could he leave the boy alone in Donnol, with no family to care for him? Then again, Qing seemed to understand his situation – the whole castle was filled with their family. Perhaps they would accept Peter as another part of the family. And all that knowledge, there for the taking...

He sat down on the bed and yawned before lying down as doubts crept into his mind. The country seemed to be a bit money-obsessed. And he liked Kiku who seemed to fit in with this family of royals. Then again, he could never figure out what the man was thinking. Another thing that was worrying him was Qing's annoyance at his shirking of his responsibilities from the moment the marks appeared on him. Perhaps Qing would distrust him a little from now on.

As he drifted off to sleep, Arthur added another con to the list – the "bed" wasn't as comfortable as the one in Spades.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Original A/N:  
> Mei is, of course, Taiwan. (Meimei in Chinese with the proper accents apparently means little sister.) Im Yong is South Korea. Chakri is Thailand. Man Hei is Macau. Cam is Vietnam. I decided not to use the other Asians. Unless I'm miscounting and I have everyone bar Tibet (who, I imagine, is in the mountains somewhere, being a monk as his design suggests).
> 
> What Yao says to his father was: "Father. What are you doing? Later, we can discuss this topic." Which his father promptly ignores.
> 
> Yao's father is called Qing. Originally, I was going to call him Ying after the emperor whose dynasty had the chairs introduced into Chinese homes). Instead, I named him after the emperor whose dynasty saw the important robes for the emperors introduced. Beside, Ying is rather clichéd, I suppose. 
> 
> Originally, I was going to have Qing speak his mind about Arthur and that was going to be a very blatant reason against Arthur choosing Yao and his country. However, I was reading up Chinese and Japanese etiquette about whether they stand up for girls entering the room or not (they don't, just for elders and only in the Chinese part of the site I was using) and I read the whole lot (one of the reasons it took me so long - and by whole lot, not the whole site, just the whole page). It made me decide not to have him be all that mean so I changed it slightly.
> 
> By the way, in Chinese, Qing with the accent means please - not to be confused with the name, I suppose.
> 
> The platform is what Chinese people sleep on (according to that site, anyway) and they usually sleep altogether. But I thought, since they're in a castle, they'd have a separate one for Arthur, at least. The platforms are called Kangs.
> 
> Ai wo wo is a sweet found in Beijing. It's basically a rice ball with a sweet centre. It can be anything sweet but I just decided to simply go for the sugar.
> 
> Yenmik is a combination of the name of the currencies of China, Japan and Hong Kong but I used Renminbi as the basis for the numbers in the exchange. Dounds is, of course, a combination of the Dollar and Pound. When exchanging from Renminbi to Pounds, American Dollars and Canadian Dollars, I went with the middle value which happened to be the American Dollars. Then I exchanged that into Euros, which is what the Kards currency represents except that it's used in all countries of this world.
> 
> Somewhere along the line, I decided that Diamonds was the first country to be created. The people there, discovered the diamonds in the land and named it after that. they also built the city in the shape of one. Next to be created was Clubs, then Hearts and, finally, Spades. The mural that Arthur sees is actually the story of how all the countries were created and Diamonds interactions with them. They used to add to the mural as events happened, but, recently, it became the Queen's job to draw it. (This won't come up in the story which is why it's here.)
> 
> I also decided that the royalty would be from the same family as I was writing this. All the Queens have been the distant cousins of the King and they strive to have at least two sons so that one can be King and the other "elected" as Jack. (The people don't really elect, so much as say, sure, go with that guy, whatever.) (Kind of came up in the story, just clarifying.)
> 
> Oh, and the history of all the countries goes something like this: Diamonds was formed on money and was the first country to stop being tribal. Their next-door naighbours decided they didn't want to be absorbed by this country and so stopped their fighting to stop them from expanding. Diamonds lost interest and the tribes went back to fighting - but too late for the individual leaders. One of them had bribed and convinced a lot of the men to come together and beat the clan chiefs. There was a battle, quickly won, and the country of Clubs was born. Next to them, the tribes which hadn't joined in their fight against Diamonds saw what had happened next to them and came together peacefully in an effort to deter the Clubs from hurting them and their loved ones - and, thus, Hearts was born. Over the sea, the tribes who had been left to themselves, heard of this and ignored it, mostly working on their argriculture. However, when they heard of the ships the other countries were building for exploration, they quickly made their own to protect themselves. Their hard-working ways brought them together (eventually) and (eventually) the country of Spades was born. (I really wish I had thought of this as I was writing Peter's lesson. Although, I expect Peter would have complained about this Ancient History not being what he wanted to learn at that moment and so, I suppose, that's why Arthur never told him about it. But, basically, it's not going to be mentioned in the story at all and I just decided to put it in a note.


	4. Dominance

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> By the way, I made a really [bad map](http://firebear1.deviantart.com/art/Reluctance-Map-379937252) to help with things. Even if I shorten the times everything happens in... ^^"

The next day, Arthur said fond farewells to his hosts at the docks, their expensive clothes billowing in the wind. He bowed to them. "It has been a pleasure to meet you and it is with a sorrowful heart that I depart," he told them, using the formal farewell taught to him by Larry. "I hope that it is not too long till we meet again."

The King, Queen and Jack bowed in response. "We are also sorry that you are leaving us, aru," said King Yao. "Yǒu yīgè ānquán de lǚchéng."

"Gàobié," said Jack Sun.

"Watashi wa sugu ni mata o ai shitai to kangaete imasu," said Kiku with a small smile.

Arthur smiled back, knowing what they said despite the language difference. Then he bowed once more and turned to walk up the gangplank. On deck, Larry and the three guards were waiting. He nodded to them and turned to look down on the country of Diamonds. He smiled slightly and waved as the gangplank was moved and the ship bustled with activity. They slowly moved away and, before too long, the three men had grown smaller and Arthur turned away.

He found the guards blocking him. "So, did you like 'em?" asked Riley, looking Arthur in the eye.

Arthur stared back at him, expressionless. "They made a very good offer," he said before moving off, making his way to his cabin. He knew that the captain would not be available for speaking with and the others would annoy him. So he decided to shut himself in his cabin and read some of the books that Yao had given him. It was a small taste of what would be imparted to him if he chose Diamonds.

* * *

It took them a few days to travel north along the coastline of Diamonds. It was lucky that the wind had changed direction and was in their favour. Arthur's time was now taken up by reading, talking with the captain, lessons from Larry and staring out at sea. Sometimes, he would watch the countryside rolling slowly by. He could see farms and mines; sometimes there were even people around, working. On these occasions, he would turn and go to the other side of the ship, staring at the sea instead. Watching them work while he had nothing to do disheartened him – he had been one of them and now he was far removed from them. Despite his drive to escape, he knew the likelihood would be that he would be alienated from them.

They turned north-west, once again moving along Diamonds' coastline. It took longer for them to get to the place where the border of Diamonds and Clubs met – the wind hadn't changed and they were forced to row. Arthur offered to help but the captain refused him. Arthur blamed Larry for this and shut himself in his cabin for a whole day. When he emerged, they only had another day's journey before they reached Clubs, this time going south-west.

Clubs was famous not only for its violent ways to obtain more fertile land, but also for its temperature. When they started to sail along the coastline of Clubs, it suddenly became a lot colder. The sailors started wearing more layers and the guards put on their official jackets and turned up their collars. Larry started wearing so many layers that he looked like a ball. Arthur, meanwhile, was bundled up in the best furs Spades had to offer. All of them were dyed a dark blue, Spades symbols decorating them. A large fur hat, reminiscent of the hats made in Clubs, was given to him and pulled down over his ears. Large mittens were forced on him and he was almost strangled in the thick scarf. The new boots were fur-lined.

He felt very warm, walking around the ship. However, the guards and Larry seemed to shiver occasionally though they tried to hide it. The rest of the crew seemed to be constantly cold. Several times, Arthur tried to endure the cold without his furs for the sake of equality. Every time, Larry forced him back to the cabin and dressed him in his furs. Arthur was frustrated. More and more he wished he had the freedom to wear what he pleased.

Finally, their harbour town destination came into view. The small, plain buildings paled in comparison to the decorative welcome of the Diamonds. Docking at the harbour was a simple and quiet occasion, the fishing boats dwarfed by the huge royal ship. The bustling of disembarking seemed subdued and Arthur watched everyone quietly get off the ship. Larry came hurrying over.

"It seems they've sent a carriage for us – isn't that nice...?" He didn't seem so sure. Arthur followed him curiously.

Waiting for them on the quiet street was a black carriage. The horses were black. Their plumes were black. The driver was wearing a very dark green suit which bordered on black. He looked at them blankly as he readjusted his belt, the long sword clearly visible to the surrounding people.

Frowning, Arthur suddenly noticed that the sailors all had weapons on them. He hadn't seen them with any on board the ship and neither had they been using them in Diamonds. The captain seemed on edge. Riley, Charlie and Rajesh were standing beside the carriage, their hands on their weapons. All three were scanning the streets. Larry seemed anxious and ushered Arthur into the vehicle before he could fully register the tension present in the air. The guards followed them in and, once everyone was seated, the driver ushered the horses to leave at a rather fast pace. The interior was not comfortable and Arthur could feel every jolt. Clubs clearly did not favour comfort for their royalty, preferring them to be efficient rather than relishing in their wealth.

They left the small town, people's eyes watching them from the shadows. The road was rather long in Arthur's opinion. It was also in dire need of having some large rocks removed as they careered over them. Arthur tried to watch the scenery. There wasn't much snow at this time of year but the place still seemed barren. That explained the need for fighting for land. He had heard that certain places had better land for farming but he could see none of that here. However, he could see several people sitting at the side of the road. Begging on this cold road pulled at Arthur's heartstrings despite his own problems and he wanted to stop. However, the carriage travelling too fast to halt their progress.

"Are you wanting something?" asked Charlie when he noticed that Arthur had been about to speak several times.

"Well-" began Arthur but Riley interrupted them.

"This road is dangerous. They aren't beggars, you know."

"What?" said Arthur, frowning.

"Many roads between the capital and nearby towns have dangerous criminals, Arthur," said Rajesh calmly. "And a lot of people in Clubs do not like change. They cause problems for the new King and Queen and, until they squash their needless uprising, these people attack the royal convoys."

"R-Really?!" exclaimed Arthur in surprise. He had known of the constant conflict in Clubs; he had no idea it was this serious.

When they eventually arrived at the capital city of Wooscm, Arthur looked out at a large wall which surrounded the city. He couldn't see anything else but he could see that the way was blocked by thick iron gates. The driver stopped and spoke quickly with the guards at the gate. The gates were slowly opened and the carriage moved on.

They continued through a maze of streets, the plain buildings shuttered. The people were on the streets, waiting for them and they watched the carriage roll by without much interest. Guards could be seen throughout their journey, managing the crowds. Looking closer, Arthur could see that everyone had a weapon of some sort. He really hoped they wouldn't have to stay too long in this country.

Finally, they arrived at the palace and, after passing through another set of gates, they stopped in the bare courtyard. A lone fountain was the only decoration. The palace itself had a domed roof. It appeared to be a dull red colour, in direct contrast with the green walls and the green fountain. Still wrapped in his furs, Arthur alighted, this time only too happy to let the guards get out first.

There were two men waiting for him. The first was tall and was clearly happy to see him. He had on a hat much like his own except it was smaller, a pale green and had a Club symbol sewn to it. It was perched on his head and matched his long coat. Fur lined the coat and it had both pale and dark green parts. His boots had a green sole and he was holding a long sceptre with a large purple jewel on it. This, Arthur decided, had to be the King of Clubs, Ivan. The other man was a lot shorter than the first. His brown hair was tied back with a green ribbon and he was wearing something akin to what Arthur imagined he would be wearing in Spades. His waistcoat and long jacket were both dark green and his trousers had a Club in the same shade sewn to them. He looked nervous and bowed to Arthur when he came out of the carriage. Arthur bowed back, wondering if he was the Jack or the Queen. Ivan didn't move.

"Greetings, King Ivan," he said. "My name is Arthur Kirkland. It is a pleasure to meet you." Then he slipped off his boot and raised the foot with the Clubs mark. The cold bit at him and he shivered slightly, trying not show it to the King.

"Dobro pozhalovat', Arthur Kirkland. It is a pleasure to meet you, too," said Ivan. He had to kneel to inspect the mark but, after a few moments, he nodded and stood.

The other man was the Jack, Arthur decided, when he moved forward and knelt to make his own inspection. "Sveiki, Arthur Kirkland," he said as he stood, nodding at both him and the King. Arthur quickly slipped his foot back into his boot.

"May I ask," said Arthur, hesitantly, "where is your potential Queen? The Diamonds had Kiku greet me as well. Is she all right?"

The smile on Ivan's face vanished. "Urgh," he said. His expression was a mix of fear and dread. "She... is busy... er... getting ready. Da?" he added, turning to Jack Toris.

"U-Um," said Toris nervously. "Taip..." He nodded vigorously.

A smashing sound made everyone jump and they turned to gaze up at the newly smashed window of an upper floor. "Vialiki brat!" shouted a deep woman's voice.

"Urgh," said Ivan again, watching the glass fall to the ground. "I thought I told you to put her in a room without windows?"

"I... I did," said Toris, frowning. "I gave Katyusha the key."

Ivan sighed. "She must have gone to her with food."

"Is..." said Arthur, nervously. "Is everything well?"

"Da!" said Ivan immediately, smiling at him. "I will show you to my-"

"Vialiki brat!" came another shout. Arthur glanced up and gasped. A blonde woman in a green dress had climbed onto the window ledge and was looking down at them. She seemed to pause for a moment and then, suddenly, she leapt from the window.

"Natalya!" exclaimed both Ivan and Toris. They rushed towards where the woman had fallen and Arthur followed them, wondering just what sort of country he had arrived in.

When they reached the spot, they found a pile of hay, obviously waiting to be used for the horses. The woman was clambering from it, covered in bits of straw. She was wearing a green dress which faded between different shades. It stopped at her knees at the front but continued further down at the back, presumably so that she could move easier. There were short puffed sleeves but a thinner, darker green sleeve was underneath them and were long enough to reach her wrists. Clubs shapes adorned it and there was even one attached to the ribbon which tied back her hair. She had on a serious expression and marched straight up to Arthur who had spotted the Clubs mark on her forehead. Glowering at him, she spoke harshly. "Leave my brother alone. He is mine. Stay away."

Arthur blinked. "Um... I'm sorry but... Who is-"

"Vialiki brat!" exclaimed the woman suddenly and threw her arms around Ivan's neck. "Vychodź za mianie zamuž!"

The King looked horrified. "Net!" he exclaimed, trying to pry the woman off him.

While he struggled, Arthur turned to Toris. "Um, I'm sorry but... Is she the Queen?"

"Ah, taip," he said with a grimace. He turned from the scene and smiled slightly at Arthur. "She is the King's younger sister and is now the Queen. "It seems that she has the idea that, since she is the Queen, she has to marry the King – no matter if it is her brother."

"That, ah, seems complicated..." said Arthur, grimacing.

"Taip..." said the Jack with a sigh.

The Spade felt sorry for the Jack. He seemed polite and well-spoken. It was a pity that he was stuck with this strange and complicated situation. Arthur almost laughed. He had liked the Queen in Diamonds and now he liked the Jack in Clubs. If this pattern kept up, he would probably like the King in Hearts.

Finally, Ivan managed to get his sister off him and he ran off, back into the castle, the girl giving chase. He seemed to be yelling "Net!" as he went. They followed at a slower pace, Toris saying that he would guide them to the study, where Ivan had intended to offer Arthur the deals. Inside, the halls were decorated with weaponry. Swords, axes, maces, spears – it detailed the history of war in the country. No other decorations were present and Arthur had a feeling of oppression. He hated the thought of living here and could barely imagine what it must have been like to be raised within the walls.

When they reached the study, the polite Jack bowed and left Arthur alone. The others were led away, glancing at him worriedly. Arthur watched as the door slowly shut behind them and everything became deathly silent. He gazed around the simple study. Shelves housed books and the desk was bare – except for the two skulls set aside as decoration. Arthur stared at them, wondering if they were recent or from a former king's era. Deciding he didn't want to know, he ignored them and sat on the small, rickety chair. The chair behind the desk was large and ornate. It made no question as to who was intended to be the dominant one in the room.

There was a click as the door open and Arthur watched Ivan slip inside. Noticing Arthur, he gave a nod and locked the door behind him. He walked silently to his chair and sank into it with a sigh. The smile instantly reappeared and he gazed at the potential Queen who immediately became uneasy.

"You want to know what I have to offer you, da?" he said.

Arthur nodded. "Please. May as well get this over with."

"I can make sure that no-one bothers you. And if they do, they will not bother you for long, da? I will protect you." Ivan's smile widened.

Feeling a shiver run down his spine, Arthur nodded in understanding. "Anything else?" he asked.

"I will slay any enemies you have." Once again, his grin became wide.

Not knowing what to say, Arthur nodded once again. "I understand... I will think about this. Thank you very mu-"

"Vialiki brat!" yelled a voice at the door. Both men inside the room froze. "Dzie ty?!"

Ivan placed a finger to his mouth. Arthur held his breath. There was a moment of silence. Then they heard Natalya's boots fading into the distance. They both released their breaths and glanced at each other.

"Pozhaluysta!" said Ivan with a worried look. "Be my Queen so I do not have to deal with her!"

Chuckling, Arthur shook his head. "I have to take everyone's offers into consideration. You will know my answer when this is all over." Which, Arthur had decided, would probably be a no.

There was a knock at the door and Ivan looked at it. "Da?"

"King Ivan?" said the voice of Toris. "I showed the others to their rooms and they have set up one for Queen Arthur. Is there anything else you'd like me to do?"

"Da!" said Ivan, now smiling once again. He rose from his chair and went to the door, unlocking and opening it to reveal the Jack. Toris was still looking a little nervous. Arthur couldn't blame him and, once again, pitied him. "I would like you to take Arthur to his room and then come help with the preparations for tonight."

"Ah... Taip, pone," said Toris making a little bow. Arthur rose from his own chair and Ivan stood aside to let him pass, still grinning in his eerie way. Toris bowed to Arthur and began to lead him down the corridor. Arthur heard Ivan close and lock the door behind them.

"I am not a Queen, yet," Arthur said to Toris, kindly. Toris glanced at him as they ascended the stairs. He seemed worried, as if he wasn't sure what to call him. "You can just call me 'Arthur'," the Spade continued.

Toris breathed a sigh of relief as they reached the top of the stairs. He nodded. "Sorry, Arthur. Natalya tells us that she _is_ the Queen all the time, so we have gotten used to calling all four of you by the term."

Arthur nodded. "She is a formidable woman."

"Taip. But she is loyal – at least to her brother."

As they walked along a corridor, Arthur spotted an open door. Curious, he paused to peek inside. He caught sight of a large portrait. He turned to continue following Toris to find the Jack watching him and smiling. "Ah!" he said, blushing at being caught.

"Your room is the first on the right on the next level. I'll leave you here and go back to help King Ivan."

"Oh. No, that's all right. I don't really want to look at portraits. I much prefer gardens," Arthur added, thinking back to the garden in Diamonds.

"Well, there is an entrance to the greenhouses at the other end of the hall. They are a floor up to protect them from intruders," explained Toris.

"I see. And it will be fine for me to just walk in there?"

"Taip!" Toris seemed to be about to say something else but he swallowed it and smiled. Arthur wondered what he knew.

"Then... I will take my leave of you, Toris. Thank you very much."

"Nėra už ką," said the Club. He bowed and left, heading back down the stairs.

Turning back to the door, Arthur pushed it open further and entered the long hall. He glanced along the length of it. One side was lined by floor to ceiling portraits. The other had suits of armour from different eras standing to attention. Looking up at the portrait which had caught Arthur's attention, he saw a tall man who looked a lot like Ivan. However, the man didn't smile much and seemed to be wearing ancient breeches. In one hand he held a sword; the other held a skull which seemed to have blood pouring from it. Looking up into the man's steely eyes, so similar to Ivan's, Arthur found himself terrified. He turned from it and inspected the nearest suit of armour. This didn't help matters as there was a belt attached to it, what looked like fingers dangling from it.

He hurried along the hall and, about halfway along, he breathed a sigh of relief. The portraits had become less violent. The suits of armour held no trophies. He relaxed and gazed up at a man who seemed to be smiling slightly.

A clanking noise alerted him to someone approaching and he spun round. Natalya was coming out from behind a suit of armour, glaring at him. Arthur's eyes were drawn to her hand in which she was holding a rather large knife. She advanced on him and he backed away, not clear on her intentions. "Stay away from Ivan. He is mine. I will not let you have him!"

"I-" Arthur's back hit the portrait and his eyes widened as she continued to advance. "Y-You can't kill me! You would be upsetting your brother and creating a war!"

Natalya froze. Eyeing Arthur, she clicked her tongue. "I will not kill you. But, be clear: I will not let you have him."

"Y-Yes. I understand..." said Arthur in relief.

"Natalya!" came a woman's voice from along the hall. Arthur glanced round and saw a woman with a rather large chest running towards them. She bounced as she ran and Arthur found himself having a hard time looking at her face instead. Her hair was blonde and short but held back by clips and she was wearing dungarees. When she reached them, she bent over, catching her breath. "Natalya! Where have you been? I need to help you get dressed for tonight!"

"Where is my brother?"

"Ivan Dearest is getting ready. You had better come alo-" She stopped when she straightened up and saw Arthur. "Oh! Queen Arthur! Meni duzhe shkoda! I did not see you!" She bowed deeply, her chest bouncing once again. "Budʹ laska, relax while we get everything ready for you. Come along, Natalya!"

"O-Of course..." murmured Arthur as the woman pulled Natalya away. He realised once they had disappeared that he had been too flustered to correct the woman about being a Queen. Maybe living here wouldn't be so bad if she was around...

Shaking his head at himself, he continued down the hall. At the furthest end there was a space for both a portrait and a suit of armour. Looking up at the portrait beside it, he realised that the space must be for Ivan. The last portrait was of his father, someone Arthur thought looked rather stern and serious compared to his most recent predecessors. He turned from them and saw a set of glass doors – the entrance to the greenhouses.

Smiling, he hurried through and a blast of heat hit him. Although the interior of the castle was warmer than outside, Arthur hadn't felt the need to remove his furs. Now, however, he hurriedly took off his hat, mittens, and huge coat, leaving himself wearing a pale blue shirt and royal blue trousers. That would help identify him if a servant came along and complained. A table was nearby so he draped them over the accompanying chair before paying attention to the flowers.

There was a lot of oranges and yellows. Arthur recognised crocuses, Arnica Montana, Maltese Crosses and, providing the only difference of colour scheme, some Larkspur. These were all native to Clubs, he knew, but the sunflowers were native to Spades and he was shocked to see so many of them. It seemed to be a forest. However, unlike a forest, they seemed to have been taken care of well. Impressed, Arthur walked along slowly, admiring each flower. He paused at an alcove within which was an array of grasses, the green colours matching the Clubs' national colours.

Just as he was about to carry on, something caught his eye further along the path. Looking up, he could see a shadowy figure leaning against a water feature of a woman pouring water onto some men. At least, Arthur hoped that it was supposed to represent water... A chirping alerted Arthur to a small bird which flew up from the ground and towards the person. Whoever it was turned their head to look at Arthur and laughed. It was an odd sound and, to Arthur, seemed to be "Kesesese!"

"Hello...?" said Arthur, stepping towards the shadow. "Who's there?"

"Kesesese!" was all the person said as his bird chirped happily.

Arthur felt a shiver run down his spine. He recognised that birdsong. It had been at Diamonds. "Who... are you?" he asked.

The shadow moved suddenly and Arthur flinched, closing his eyes instinctively. A pair of hands wrapped around his waist from behind and he cried out. He twisted round, opening his eyes to see just who – or what – had grabbed him. The familiar smile of Ivan was there and Arthur relaxed a little.

"Privet, Arthur. You have found my garden?" The King frowned suddenly. "What were you looking at?"

Remembering the shadowy person, Arthur turned once again, searching for them. However, no-one was there. The whole episode had barely lasted a minute – had he actually seen the shadow or was it a trick of the light? But... he had definitely heard the bird and the laughing.

"J-Just... It's an interesting water feature..." Arthur stuttered. He gestured at the men who seemed to be holding their faces in agony. "And, please!" he exclaimed, struggling against Ivan's embrace. "Let me go!"

"Izvinite," sang Ivan cheerily and let Arthur go. "Do you like the garden?" he added.

"Well, it is certainly a cheerful place."

"Compared to the rest of the palace, da?"

"W-Well..." said Arthur, flustered. How had Ivan known what he meant?

"I know that it is a foreboding place. I have often wished to live further south. However, I have my duty and I am now bound to this place. At least I have these flowers." He smiled round at them, gazing at the sunflowers in particular. This smile, however, was much more genuine than the others. Arthur smiled slightly as well.

"Where did the sunflowers come from?"

"When we Kings were children, my father held a ball. When Alfred arrived, he was clinging to a plant a child from his city had given to him. It had been his birthday while he was travelling and he had told the child how he would get very little presents. As far as I am aware, the child gave him an early present and he refused to let it go. When I saw it, I wanted it – it reminded me of the sun we see so little of. At first we argued about it and fought and cried and then... He left it behind when he left." Ivan looked at Arthur who was staring at him in shock. That oblivious idiot had done something so kind? Ivan continued, however. "I am unsure as to whether he had forgotten about it as he is so young or if he had left it for me."

"Oh," said Arthur, realising that it had probably been the former. He rolled his eyes at his King's antics. Even if he had been intending to choose a King, he doubted he would want to serve Alfred.

"The evening's entertainment has been organised. Your escort is waiting for you in your room if you would like to get changed and join us."

Arthur nodded. "Yes. If you'll excuse me." He left the place, pausing only to pick up his furs. He gazed back, thinking of how beauty could bloom in even the most desolate of places. As he did so, he noticed that Ivan was staring at the water feature, standing quite still...

* * *

Dressed in a pair of thick, dark navy trousers and a thick, long-sleeved blue shirt, Arthur made his way down to the hall where the night's entertainment was to take place. He entered to find rows of chairs filled with people. They were all facing a stage with red, velvet curtains. Arthur spotted Ivan sitting in the front row beside an older couple. They had the same silvery hair and Arthur realised that the former King and Queen were both in attendance. A seat beside Ivan had been left for him and he slipped into it.

"Privet, Arthur!" said Ivan, cheerily.

"Good evening," said Arthur with a nod. "Where are Natalya and Toris?"

"They are performing tonight," explained Ivan. "Otets i mat' are so proud of her." He leaned backwards a little so that Arthur could see them. He bowed his head respectfully: they bowed back, unsmiling.

A sudden tinkling sound from a harp filled the air and everyone in the room was silenced. Ivan, however, leaned towards Arthur and whispered in his ear. "Ah! It is starting! You are in for a treat!" Arthur only nodded in response, watching the curtains sweep open.

Natalya and the woman from earlier were on stage. They were wearing what appeared to be some sort of swimsuit with a frilled skirt sticking out. The shoes were merely fabric wrapped around and tied up their legs. Natalya was wearing such a dark green that it was close to black. The other was wearing a pale green which was almost white. They were both standing with one leg pointed towards the audience and their arms in the air above their heads.

Violinists and cellists began to play soft, floating music and the two women began to move. Their movements were fluid as they spun and pranced around the stage. Being so close to the front, the thudding of their feet as they landed was clearly audible. They were in sync for the whole dance and their movement was almost bird-like: as if they were soaring on air currents. Arthur, however, barely noticed this as he tried not to watch the stranger's chest.

Finally, the music stopped and so did the dancers. A smattering of applause started up, Arthur joining in. He stopped when he noticed his host wasn't clapping. Onto the stage came three more people. Arthur stared at the one on the right. He had the same brown hair and pale green eyes as Toris from earlier. However, he was now wearing a bright green swimsuit similar to the girls with the same sort of skirt attached. His feet were also bound in bright green fabric to act as shoes. He leapt onto the stage with a taller man wearing spectacles and a small boy, both wearing the same outfit. They looked as if they had been crying and their cheeks were a brilliant red.

The Spade had to watch them dance around the stage, trying to avert his eyes from other bouncing body parts. The shock on his face may have shown as, at one point, Toris caught sight of him and gave a small sob. It was almost lost over the music and the thudding of their feet. Arthur glanced at Ivan who frowned at the suppressed sound.

Admittedly, thought Arthur a few minutes later as they finally stopped dancing for the moment, they _were_ rather good dancers...

* * *

When the show finally ended, Arthur politely applauded along with everyone else. The curtain swished close and he was just able to spot the looks of relief on the boys' faces. Ivan turned to him with a smile on his face. "Did you like it, Arthur?"

"It was... er... rather interesting," said the Spade, hesitantly. "Ah. I was wondering... Who was the other woman?"

"That is my older sestra, Katyusha."

"Oh," said Arthur, not sure whether to be disappointed or relieved.

There was movement from the rest of the room as people rose to leave and Ivan's parents followed suit. Arthur hurried to get out of the way. As they swept past him and Ivan, he noted the look they were giving him. It seemed to be one of disdain and disgust. Frowning after them, Arthur glanced at Ivan. He didn't seem to be happy either.

"My parents think you are irresponsible and not fit to help me run this country," Ivan said, quietly. "They say that I should be happy with Natalya, but..." He grimaced. "I wish she would stop with the marriage thing..."

"Ah...?" said Arthur, faking mild surprise.

"Da..." replied Ivan, looking miserable.

"That-" began Arthur but he suddenly found Larry at his elbow.

"Arthur. We must leave here at dawn so I suggest you get some sleep," he told the Spade.

"Ah! I see. Sorry, King Ivan. I will take my leave now." Arthur bowed. Ivan nodded with a small smile. As Arthur hurried off, he heard Natalya's shout of happiness as she threw her arms around her precious brother.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Original A/N:  
> About the title: I wanted a word which ended in -ance (apparently my theme for chapter titles in this story) which indicated violence (for clubs = weapons, etc) but chose this instead when I saw it on a list of words anding in -ance because I just thought it was perfect for Ivan.
> 
> Because I was checking this over and came across Yao's Chinese and couldn't remember what it was, here is what everything means (except for the words I've used in other stories which I feel are quite obvious, especially in context). They are split up into characters in speaking order (Yao, Sun, Kiku, Ivan, Natalya, Toris, Katyusha):
> 
> Yǒu yīgè ānquán de lǚchéng. = Have a safe journey.
> 
> Gàobié = Farewell
> 
> Watashi wa sugu ni mata o ai shitai to kangaete imasu = I hope to see you again soon
> 
> Dobro pozhalovat' = Welcome  
> Pozhaluysta! = Please!  
> Izvinite = Sorry.  
> Otets i mat' = Father and mother
> 
> Taip, pone = Yes, sir.  
> Nėra už ką = Do not mention it/You're welcome.
> 
> Vychodź za mianie zamuž! = Marry me!  
> Dzie ty?! = Where are you?!
> 
> Meni duzhe shkoda! = I am sorry!  
> Budʹ laska = Please
> 
> I didn't want to have Ivan being violent/creepy/whatever - I just wanted the country to appear different from Diamonds and to represent what they are associated with. Which is conquering bits of land (in ancient history, anyway). The uprisings which happen after a new King is crowned usually drag on for a few months but Ivan will quickly quash them once the Queen thing has been sorted out.
> 
> The thing that Toris knows about the greenhouses is that they are tended to specially and only by Ivan. He knows that Ivan will probably turn up. He also thinks that this is the one side of Ivan that people from outwith Clubs are more likely to like. Just telling you all before you think Toris knew the shadowy figure was going to be there or something.


	5. Romance

Arthur was woken whilst it was still dark outside. Immediately alert, he was dressed with the aid of Larry in dark blue leggings and a matching tunic. He pulled on his boots and was then bundled in his furs once again. Larry did not speak during this and Arthur made no attempt to wring a conversation out of him. When they were ready, they quietly exited the drab room to find the guards waiting for them. They escorted them to the castle gates where the black carriage was waiting for them once again. The guards ushered Arthur towards it.

Looking over his shoulder, Arthur spotted Ivan and Toris standing on the steps. Stopping the others, he turned to his hosts and bowed. "I hope that it is not too long till we meet again."

"Schastlivogo puti," said Ivan, bowing his head slightly.

"Atsisveikinimas," said Toris with a smile and a bow of his own.

With that, Arthur was ushered into the carriage. The journey from the palace to the sea was a silent one. The travellers watched the sun rising, the guards keeping an eye out for untoward activity. As they drew closer to the town they had anchored at, Arthur began to spot more people on the road. Some appeared weary, as though they had just awoken. Others watched their passage with narrowed eyes.

Finally they arrived at their ship. The crew were already at their stations and Arthur was hurried up the gangplank. As soon as all five of them had alighted, the plank was removed, the sail unfurled and the ship manoeuvred out of the harbour. Silent watchers appeared on the docks, watching them leave. Arthur stared silently back at them, unsettled by the experience.

The ship continued its journey west. As they passed the border between Clubs and Hearts, the weather brightened and the warmer air lifted everyone's gloomy moods. Arthur returned to his simple blue clothes and his activities. It took two days to reach the north-western tip of Hearts. Then they turned south. The wind was still blowing in a westernly direction and so the men had to row until the winds shifted in their favour.

After rounding the land, Arthur looked to the west. He could see a line on the horizon – the kingdom of Spades. A feeling of homesickness welled but Arthur quelled it and began to look east to his next destination. Focussing on his duties, he watched as the land of Hearts drew closer. Finally, they could make out fields and towns and then the docks where they would land. Everywhere was red from the flowers that seemed to carpet the nation.

The usual disembarking activity ensued and Arthur watched for a few moments before allowing himself to be ushered into his cabin. There he was dressed in the finest silks: blue trousers, a light blue shirt, a navy overcoat. Topaz and sapphires glittered on his coat and he was given a ringlet of gold for his head. He stared at it.

"What is this?" he asked Larry.

He was given a loaded look, one which dictated that he had better wear it. "The King of Hearts admires beauty. The more extravagant you appear, the better for the appearance of our kingdom."

Arthur clicked his tongue. "This is ridiculous." He placed the ringlet of gold on his head, shifting it. "And it feels strange."

"Well, you will just have to bear with it."

Rolling his eyes, Arthur followed Larry onto deck. The guards were waiting for them at the bottom of the gangplank, as was the carriage ready for the rest of their journey. Arthur stared at it in disbelief. It was golden with an intricate design. The loops were adorned with rubies cut into the shape of roses, twinkling in the sunlight. Pink and yellow roses, real ones, were tied to the windows. The horses' manes were plaited with red roses and the driver was wearing a deep red suit, another rose pinned to the hat. After he was ushered into the vehicle he turned to Larry.

"Why is everything so...?"

"Shiny?" suggested Riley.

"Glittery?" Charlie provided.

"Flamboyant?" said Rajesh.

Larry explained, "The kingdom of Hearts always makes an effort for the Queens."

Nodding, Arthur looked out of the window, watching the small houses going by. The town definitely looked picturesque and the window boxes were filled with red flowers. They were mostly roses and Arthur felt more at ease than in the other countries. The people, too, seemed to be a lot friendlier. They smiled at the passing carriage but didn't stand and stare. Rather, they went about their business, only pausing to greet Arthur. Despite himself, Arthur felt grateful.

Passing through the countryside, they gazed out at fields of crops and red flowers. Farms and windmills continued their production. People drove cattle or journeyed on the road, stepping out of the way of the formal carriage.

When they reached the capital, the scent of roses was overwhelming. Arthur watched the winding side roads pass by and the people scurrying to and fro across the cobbled streets. They seemed happy and shouted to each other across the street. The traffic, however, seemed to be problematic. Carts and horses overtook the carriage, narrowly avoiding collisions. Towards the end of his journey, Arthur found himself gripping the seat in anxiety as their driver expertly navigated the chaos.

Finally, they arrived at the palace. The grounds were covered in red flowers, mostly roses. There were some different variety of roses, however, creating a rainbow of colours. Everything was shaped like hearts. The flower arrangements, the statues, the water features. The palace was white and dream-like as a fairytale castle would be. Arthur admired it – it reminded him of days gone by when his parents read him stories. He felt himself relax considerably, the first time since he had discovered the marks. Without Arthur noticing, a small smile spread across his face.

They alighted from the carriage, the guards insisting on getting out first. Arthur's frown returned – there did not seem to be any peril so why were they so anxious to be first? He stepped down and surveyed the three people who were present to meet him. First was a young man with brown hair, a single curl sticking out of the side. He appeared to be incredibly happy. He wore a brown tunic with a red jacket over it. His pink trousers ended at his knees and long, white socks were pulled up. On his head was a pink hat with a red heart embroidered on it. Next there was a woman with long brown hair, a red flower tied to it. Her red dress was long but her visible cleavage showed the proud heart mark above her breast. Her smile welcomed Arthur, her fellow potential Queen. Finally, a blonde man stood, smiling lightly at Arthur. He wore a long, red tunic with pink trousers which were rather tightly fitted. A red robe was thrown over his shoulders and he wore a small red crown upon his head.

Arthur bowed to them and they all bowed back in unison. The young Spade addressed the King. "Greetings, King Francis. My name is Arthur Kirkland. It is a pleasure to meet you." He undid the top buttons of his coat and pulled it down to reveal the Heart mark on his neck.

This time, the King did not move forward to inspect it. Instead, he said his part. "Bienvenue, Arthur Kirkland. It is a pleasure to meet you, too."

The cheerful brunette moved forward and inspected the mark. He nodded and stepped back. Arthur noticed that he was bouncing slightly, as though he was barely containing himself. Then he said, "Saluti!" He scurried backwards and the King finally stepped forward to take his place.

"Let me see that mark," he muttered. Arthur pulled the coat down further, trying to expose the mark as fully as possible. The King of Hearts leaned forward, inspecting it. Suddenly, he jerked forward and Arthur felt something brush his neck. He gasped and pulled backwards in time to see Francis' lips still slightly pursed from the kiss. Wide eyed, he gaped at the King. "Desolé, desolé cher," said the Heart with a smile. "I like to test the marks thoroughly." He winked at Arthur who only stared back in disbelief. A man had kissed him – he had never thought that would happen.

"Arthur!" exclaimed Riley, breaking into Arthur's train of thought. He rushed forward and pulled Arthur away, simultaneously pushing Francis. Arthur felt more hands on him as, not only Charlie and Rajesh pulled him away, but Larry as well, all of them protecting him. He looked round, startled, searching for the danger. A yell in the distance caught his attention and he looked round to find a large guard in golden armour rushing towards them. Two other guards were also following, though not as quickly. When they reached the group, the first guard pointed his halberd at the Spades. The others followed suit, one a little more sloppily than the others. Arthur's guards responded by drawing their swords.

"You dare touch our King?" demanded the first guard in a low growl.

"He touched Arthur first," snapped Riley, glaring a the man as he moved to shield Arthur from both him and Francis.

"He was checking the mark. There was no cause to push him."

"One does not check the mark by kissing it," said Charlie quietly.

The guard froze for a moment. Then he lowered his halberd slightly and pushed up his visor. Beneath his helmet was a stern face with blue eyes. His blonde hair appeared to be smoothed back. He was glaring at Francis. "Again?" he asked tiredly.

Francis, who had managed to catch himself before falling, was straightening out his clothes. He glanced up and smiled. "Oui, of course. It is a good way to discover if they are real." Everyone stared at him in disbelief except for Jack Feliciano who was still smiling, watching the scene with interest.

"Ja, well," said the guard. "Entschuldigung for my King's impudence. He is... Hm."

This did not quell the anger of the Spades' guards or Larry. They continued to glare at the Hearts and did not move. Finally, Arthur came to his senses. He had been feeling dazed since the kiss, watching the scene unfold in shock. Now, however, he cleared his throat and stepped around Riley. "I accept your apology. I have heard that the residents of Sipar are rather... affectionate."

The Heart smiled warmly at Arthur. "Bien, bien! Now that it is sorted, let me take you to my study and I will give you my offer."

"I think, this time, we will stay with you, Arthur," muttered Charlie as they followed the group of Hearts up the steps.

"Don't you dare!" hissed Arthur, glaring at them. "We will do this as we have done. There is no need for your protection within the study. You will go to your rooms and stay there until whatever evening entertainment we will be given."

"But-!" began Riley but he was cut off with a glare.

As they entered the palace itself, they found another stern man waiting for them, staring at them from behind his spectacles. He had dark hair with a strand which stood up on its own. Arthur noticed a mole on his cheek. He was wearing a rather fancy coat and tails: they were red whilst his trousers were a light pink colour. A red quaver shape was attached to his head. He scowled at Francis as they entered but it was dropped as the potential Queen rushed forwards and threw her arms around him. He blushed and averted his gaze, wrapping his own arms around the woman.

"That is Roderich," Francis explained to the assembled Spades. "He is Elizaveta's husband and a talented musician. He has joined the court as the Head Musician and he is magnifique! Mais... He is a little... strange."

"Strange?" asked Arthur, despite himself.

Roderich extricated himself from Elizaveta's grip and rounded on one of the Hearts' guards who was standing behind Ludwig. He seemed to be hiding and flinched when Roderich spoke. "Antonio! What are you doing? You need to guide me to the piano room."

The guard lifted his visor and gave Roderich an apologetic look. He had brown hair and green eyes. There was also an aura about him that made him seem as permanently cheerful as Feliciano. "Lo siento, Roderich. Ludwig told me to help in his patrol. Pero, I can take you there now, sí?"

The musician tapped his foot. "Ja! Hurry up! I have much to prepare for tonight."

Antonio dodged around him and hurried off. Roderich followed much more slowly. He seemed to be having difficulty moving at a similar pace. Meanwhile, Feliciano turned to the third guard. "Fratello, why don't you go with them to make sure Signor Roderich gets to the piano room?"

"Why should I?" snapped the guard, not lifting his visor. "And how did you know it was me?"

"You always hold your halberd upside-down, fratello," said Feliciano warmly, as if this was something to be proud of.

"Chigi!" snapped the man. He darted around the group and easily caught up with the musician and guard.

Francis turned to Arthur and muttered, "They're twins. The guard is Lovino and is the older of the two. He came here to look after Feli. Not that he would need it here but it is adorable to see siblings in action, non?"

Arthur's thoughts turned to Peter and he felt a pang in his heart. He was so close to Peter, the closest he had been in days and yet he had to stay here and listen to another stupid offer from a man who was far too cheerful and touched people too much. He averted his gaze and looked around the hall. It was beautiful: the tapestries depicted women and men with flowing hair and smiling faces; the ornaments were delicate and clean; the candelabras sparkled and had intricate patterns; a red carpet led to the marble stairs. The group headed for them and climbed upwards into a similar hall. The doors along the hall all had ornate handles. Gold, silver, pearl, anything associated with beauty. Finally they reached a green door and Francis turned to the group.

"This is the study. Feliciano, Ludwig – could you take the others to their rooms, s'il vous plait?" He unlocked the door and held it open for Arthur.

"Arthur," said Elizaveta hurriedly. "I expect we will be in each other's company a lot more often and so I would like to formally invite you to tea in the garden after you have finished."

"Oh, yes. I would like that very much, thank you," said Arthur, happily. The last time he had had tea was in Diamonds and he was starting to miss it.

Elizaveta nodded at him and swept away. The gathered Spades looked at Francis and Arthur dubiously before being herded away by Ludwig, Feliciano bobbing behind them. As they went, Arthur heard the Jack say, "Ve, do you like pasta? I like pasta."

Inside the study, he found a luscious room. The thick red carpet was soft underfoot. There was an ornate high-backed red chair behind the desk and smaller ones clustered round the other side. The desk itself appeared to be made of redwood. A red glow was cast from from the windows' stained glass Hearts. Portraits of the King and Jack lined the wall behind the desk, a space reserved for the new Queen. A small fireplace was surrounded by filing cabinets, small marble hearts decorating it. Arthur would have felt as though he was in a rather homely place if it hadn't been for the red roses on the mantelpiece and petals lying on the desk. He raised an eyebrow as he heard Francis close and lock the door behind him.

"You... really seem to like roses. I have a rosebush at home," said Arthur by way of polite conversation.

"Oui. Vraiment?" asked Francis with a smile as he moved round to his place. He lifted a bottle from a chiller and produced two wine glasses from a cupboard. "Vin?" he asked even as he poured some into a glass.

"No thank you," said Arthur as he chose a seat. "I would not want to spoil my tea."

Francis shrugged and placed the bottle down beside the empty glass in full view of the Spade. "Shall we get down to business, then?" he asked, circling round the desk.

"If you would be so kind," Arthur replied, watching him warily. The King leaned against the desk and surveyed Arthur. The young man grew uncomfortable after a few minutes and cleared his throat. "What are you doing?"

"Desolé, desolé," muttered Francis, taking a sip of his red wine. He placed the glass down with a clink as Arthur frowned at his odd behaviour. Then, suddenly, his face was impossibly close to Arthur's, slender fingers wrapped around his chin. The Spade gasped and tried to pull away but Francis' grip was firm. Firm but gentle. The King forced him to look into the blue of his eyes. They were bright but they didn't sparkle like Alfred's. Though why he thought of the King of Spades at a time like this was beyond Arthur. As such, he felt his cheeks heat up.

"L-Let me go!" he managed to croak out, still a little too shocked to think clearly.

"What I can offer you is passion et romance. That is what the country has always offered. But you... I could give you special attention." The man winked and Arthur decided he was deluded.

"And why do I get special attention?" Arthur growled.

"Because you are the first Queen to be so reluctant to take up their role. You have avoided it for as long as possible and that has intrigued all of us – none more so than Alfred. But, if you have avoided it, then I believe you do not want to be Alfred's Queen. Be mine and you will not have to put up with him."

Arthur stared at him for a moment before answering. "I do not quite understand what you mean – I have not met Alfred- my King, I mean – to form an opinion on the man."

Francis chuckled. "Oui, if you say so, cher." He let go of Arthur and leaned back against the desk. Arthur shrank away, glaring at him, wary. "I would, of course, welcome any family you have."

This caused Arthur to freeze. To begin with, he began to seriously consider moving to Hearts. He and Peter would be together and away from Spades. Alfred would not be able to stop him or pursue him. Then he realised the implication of the simple statement. "How much do you know about me?" he asked, suspicious.

"Quoi?" asked Francis, nonchalantly. "I do not know anything about you. But the one reason you would be reluctant to be a Queen would be that you had someone special you did not want to lose. Et they can pose as a relative if you wish for them to be brought here."

The potential Queen relaxed a little. "My personal life has nothing to do with you," he declared, standing. "You have made your offer and I will consider it. Now, if you will excuse me, I have a prior engagement."

"Oui, with Elizaveta." Francis smiled, a mischievous glint in his eyes. "Do have fun..."

* * *

Elizaveta poured the tea with a smile. She did not offer any milk or sugar and Arthur stared down at the brown liquid in his cup. "How do you like the garden?" she asked.

Gazing round, Arthur smiled. "Yes, it is a beautiful place." They were sitting on a patio with a lawn directly beyond them. A small brick path started and ended with the lawn. The path then became gravel as it wound between flower beds. The red flowers present were astonishingly pretty: Cacti Cours Saleya surrounded patches of red Gerberas; Castile flowers grew beside the flowering lilies, the white sticking out amongst the red. However, the most common flower appeared to be red roses – the flower so associated with love in its natural place in the romantic kingdom.

The woman smiled. "The Kingdom of Hearts has always been beautiful. My home town of Stepadub is just as beautiful. It is less busy than the capital, though."

"Yes, I don't doubt it. I expect it's more peaceful than here."

"Igen. I have to watch the King to make sure he is not doing anything... untoward."

Arthur nodded in understanding. "He is a rather... Hm. Interesting individual," he provided.

"Not as interesting as Alfred, I presume," said Elizaveta with a knowing smirk.

With a frown, Arthur replied. "What do you mean?"

"You have met him, igen?" said Elizaveta. "Did he enter your room while you were being examined for the marks?"

"No, he did not. He came when-" Arthur broke off, confused. "How do you know about-? I mean, Alfred- I mean, the King of Spades is not supposed to have met me- He has _not_ met me yet. I will meet him when I go home." Arthur felt his cheeks flush as he became flustered trying to cover up the King's actions.

"Really? He told me he was going to do whatever it took to meet you before the other Kings could." Elizaveta calmly took a sip of her tea and smiled up at Arthur.

As he was offered a sandwich by the Heart woman, Arthur's blush deepened. "I... may have... seen him. But the rules say that he cannot officially meet me until I come home from this initial journey. Please do not mention this to anyone – he may get into trouble."

"Do not worry. I have not told anyone. But... What do you think of him?"

Arthur's brow furrowed. "What do you mean?"

"Well, when I met him, he seemed loud but rather cheerful. You are a Spade – your comments would help me to decide on which country to serve." She smiled happily, nibbling on a small sandwich.

He thought about it for a moment before answering. "He breaks the rules as he wishes and he does not adhere to traditions. He is irresponsible and selfish. I doubt he would work well as the King of Spades – he would be too preoccupied with having fun. He goes out of his way to get what he wants too, so I suppose he is determined. But what he wants is probably not best for the country. He smiles way too much and his eyes... are... um." Blinking, Arthur stopped, his train of thought halting and leaving him wondering what he had been about to say.

"I see," said Elizaveta, her tone suggesting she knew more than Arthur. It infuriated him but it was swept away by her next question. "How did you two meet?"

"Ah, um..." Arthur blushed, wondering how to put it. He had the feeling Elizaveta already had the wrong idea and he did not want to strengthen it. "He... came to my room after I had fainted."

"Oh?" prompted Elizaveta, leaning forward.

Thankfully, Arthur did not need to answer. He was saved by the approach of the Jack and the large Ludwig. "Signorina Elizaveta!" exclaimed Feliciano as he bounced over. "Francis would like us all to help him get the ball ready!"

"Ball?" inquired Arthur.

"We are having a dance in your honour, Arthur drága," said Elizaveta as she stood. Arthur quickly followed suit. The woman shook her head and waved him back. "Kérem, finish your tea. Ludwig will take you to your room when needed."

"Thank you," said Arthur, nodding at her. Elizaveta curtsied and followed the bouncing Feliciano back to the palace. Ludwig stood to attention and Arthur decided to ignore him, sipping at his bitter tea.

* * *

Arthur straightened his blue bowtie and tugged at his coat and tails. They were a royal blue and his shoes matched. It felt odd: he was used to wearing boots, not fancy shoes for dancing. Nervously, he flattened his hair as much as possible. It insisted on staying messy so he sighed and turned away, rubbing at his brow in an effort to take his worries away.

"Are you ready?" asked Riley's voice. Arthur spun round, eyes wide. Riley stood in the door in a black suit, a crisp white shirt open at his neck. The black tie was slung over his shoulders. His hands were buried in his trousers' pockets. Arthur sighed and marched forward.

"You need to look like a royal guard, not a scruffy urchin," grumbled Arthur as he buttoned up his top.

Riley smacked his hands away before he could get hold of the tie. "Why are you so nervous?" he asked, bluntly. He stared at the smaller blonde as Arthur averted his gaze.

"I want people to have the best impression of Spades," he said, quietly. He may not be the Queen and he had no intention of being one, but he found he had become rather patriotic since his talk with Elizaveta. The conversation about Alfred and being so close to his home was making him yearn to leave. Yet something within him wanted to help his country as much as possible before he destroyed it when he ran away. If he was completely honest with himself, he was feeling guilty about his vague plan. But he was determined to go through with it and Riley's inability to dress himself was not going to stop him. He grabbed the tie and expertly wrapped it around itself. "And you will help me to do that," he added.

At first Riley simply growled his disliking of his tie. Then he sighed and nodded. "Yes, sir," he muttered before turning away. "Let's go." Arthur followed the guard, letting him lead him to the doors of the ballroom. Music was playing inside – a whole orchestra by the sounds of it. He walked up to the door before Riley turned and stopped him. "Wait here," he told the potential Queen.

"Excuse me?"

"I need to go announce you or somethin'," said Riley with a shrug.

"Ah, yes. Carry on."

As soon as Riley had disappeared into the room, Arthur heard a strange sound. A chirping sound. As if there was a bird inside. He glanced round and saw a small yellow bird fly overheard. With a gasp, he spun round, following it with his eyes. It flew down the corridor and turned the corner. Arthur followed. He was sure it was the same one as before. The Spade turned the corner and almost ran into someone. Managing to stop himself in time, he stared at the bird on his shoulder. "You! Who are you?" he exclaimed.

The man turned round. He had white hair and was certainly the person who had been in Diamonds and Clubs. But now Arthur could see his eyes – his red eyes. Arthur's green ones opened wide and he took a step back. Before he could say anything, the man laughed strangely. Then Arthur blinked and he was gone.

"Arthur!" Riley came speeding round the corner followed by Charlie. "Where did you go?!"

"I-I saw someone..." Arthur said, quietly.

"Yeah, well, follow people in your own time. Come on!"

With a roll of his eyes, Arthur followed, feeling a little shaken. They entered the room, Riley and Charlie either side of him. Rajesh was waiting for them and joined the entourage as they passed. Inside, the room shone brilliantly. Chandeliers sparkled, cutlery and plates on the tables twinkled and the smiles of the dancers were bright. The women's dresses were varying shades of reds and the men's suits were either dark shades of reds or black. Arthur felt very out of place in his blue. Moonlight shone in through the floor to ceiling windows. A small orchestra was tucked in the corner, Roderich conducting, smiling all the while. Arthur spotted Elizaveta nearby, listening intently and smiling up at him. He waited until he was announced and then made his way over.

"Good evening, Elizaveta," he said.

"Jó estét, Arthur!" she exclaimed happily. "Are you here for a dance?"

"Oh, well, I mean." Arthur glanced at Roderich. "I would not like to drag you away from your husband..."

"Roderich is always in his own world when there is music," said Elizaveta kindly. "He will not notice."

"I see..." said Arthur hesitantly. "But... Well..." His cheeks heated once again and he glanced at the spinning people on the dance floor. "I cannot dance."

"You cannot dance?" repeated a voice behind Arthur. The Spade gasped and turned round to find Francis gazing at him. He was wearing a bright red suit, rubies studded through it. They glittered as he moved. His crown added to the sparkling effect. "Bien! I will teach you!" And with that he grabbed Arthur's hand and dragged him to the floor.

"W-Wait," said Arthur, stumbling after him.

"Non, non. I must teach you to dance. C'est le roman de mon pays!"

Arthur did not have time to translate this in his head – for he knew a little of the language from his studies – before he was spun into Francis' embrace. One hand held his while the other pulled his other hand to the King's shoulder. Then, once he had convinced Arthur to lay his hand on the shoulder indicated, his free hand rested on his waist. Suddenly they were spinning round, Francis counting his steps and Arthur watching his feet, stumbling every so often.

Shortly, however, Arthur had become quite adequate at the dance. He began to look around the room, gazing at the beautiful women gliding past him. He spotted his fellow Spades in a corner. They seemed to be watching him but he couldn't tell at the speed he spun past them.

"Cher, this is an intimate dance. You are supposed to have eyes only for your partner." With a guilty expression, Arthur obliged and looked up at Francis. The Heart smiled. "That is much better," he said quietly. Arthur felt Francis' hand slip round to the small of his back. The following slight pressure caused their bodies to come into closer proximity as they twirled.

"What-? Hey! You can't-!"

"Hush, cher. This is what you are supposed to do. It is a romantique dance." The taller man gazed down at Arthur with a smile, making the Spade very uncomfortable and his cheeks redden.

"No, I... I need... to go," said Arthur, pulling his hand away from his and stepping away from the King. Francis reached for him but Arthur dodged around him and hurried away. He spotted his guards making their way towards him but he rushed in a straight line through the dancers, obstructing them. Once he reached the door, he rushed into the hall and along the corridor. He spotted couples in alcoves on either side of the hallway, kissing, cuddling, doing other things. Behind him, the door opened and he heard calls. He refused to stop and darted round the corner. Finding an empty alcove, he slipped in and breathed a sigh of relief. His heart was hammering in his chest and he wasn't sure if it was from his close encounter with Francis or the fast pace. He took a deep breath and relaxed.

"Mon cher, that was trés rude." Arthur's eyes widened as Francis stepped into the alcove, twitching a tapestry to mostly cover them from any prying eyes.

"I-I'm sorry but... I needed... some air," stammered Arthur, backing away until he hit the wall.

Francis tilted his head. "If I make you uncomfortable, you only have to say," he said before turning away.

"No, wait!" exclaimed Arthur. He was suddenly worried that he had insulted the King and grabbed his arm to stop him. The man paused and turned to him. Arthur had no idea what to do next.

After a moment of silence, Francis removed his arm from Arthur's grip. At first, Arthur thought he was going to merely leave. Then he took hold of the Spade's arm and pulled him into a hug. Before Arthur could speak, Francis whispered into his ear. "I understand. You have many worries." He leaned back and cupped Arthur's face with a hand, keeping a firm grip on him with the other. "But, s'il vous plait, let me help you relax for tonight."

Arthur didn't move or speak as Francis moved his head forward, keeping Arthur's still. He closed his eyes as he came too close and almost spoke up. Then Francis' lips had connected with his and he experienced his very first kiss. It was sweeter than he had expected and it made his breath catch. His heart rate increased and he found himself instinctively leaning into it.

Guards calling for both Francis and Arthur brought him back to his senses and he stumbled back. Francis just smiled lightly at him. Afterwards, he turned and threw back the tapestry, striding out to the group of guards who were hovering just a few feet away. Instinctively, Arthur shrank back into the shadows.

"Francis," said Ludwig, his arms folded. "You did not...?"

"Oui. Et he kissed back aussi. I believe I win the bet?"

"No!" Arthur hear Riley exclaim. "He didn't! Besides, you have no proof!"

"Why not ask him?" said Francis smugly, pulling Arthur into the light.

In the meantime, Arthur had composed himself – until he had heard the comment about the bet. Now he felt strangely calm. The calm he usually felt before he erupted with fury at one of Peter's pranks. He battled to keep it under control. There was probably an innocent explanation. So, when he was pulled forward, he simply said, "Bet?"

His glare caused the guards to squirm. Francis seemed to have noticed his change in mood and his smile slipped.

"Sí!" Antonio piped up, lifting his visor. He was smiling. "We all bet Francis he could not get you to kiss him. Y he has won."

"Bet?" said Arthur again, looking pointedly at his fellow Spades who were all gathered there.

"He-he riled me up!" said Riley defensively. "He said that he could make you fall so in love with Hearts you would stay here. And..."

"If he did, we would have failed Alfred's mission," said Charlie with an apologetic smile and a shrug. "And none of use could stop Riley blurting out the words 'I bet' when he tried to claim you wouldn't kiss the King."

The stare Arthur gave the assembled people caused them all to start sidling away. "I see," he said eventually. "You are all complete and utter idiots!" This outburst made several of them jolt in surprise. "Using me as your entertainment – I won't forgive you!"

"Now, cher," Francis began.

"And you! Don't you ever touch me again! I won't tolerate it! Now, I am going to my chambers and if any of you enter before dawn, I will make you regret it. And you three!" He pointed at his guards. "You can make yourselves useful and keep _him_ " - he pointed at Francis - "away from me."

"Arthur..." Rajesh started to say. The glare from the potential Queen shut him up. Then the blonde Spade spun on his heel and marched down the hall. His furious expression cleared his way and several women squealed in surprise. He ignored all of them, glaring at the ones who dared speak to him.

* * *

The white-haired man entered the gloomy room and looked up at the strange clock. For a moment the hand quivered in the Spade position before it moved suddenly with a loud click. Now it was in the 'ten to' position – between the Spade and the Club.

"It is nearly time, Gilbird," said the man to the bird on his shoulder. "We will not have to wait much longer. I think we have got his attention, kesesese!"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Original A/N:  
> Sorry if Arthur seemed to be all over the place in this chapter. He's not exactly met anyone like Francis before and he's supposed to be a little confused with what he's up to.
> 
> Ludwig is basically Feliciano's guard by happenstance - as in, he's usually the one to be around when Feliciano needs something tied, etc. Lovino ends up spending a lot more time with Antonio than he'd like. Roderich gets lost in the palace a lot - it's a miracle he found his way to the front door.
> 
> On the subject of Roderich, I decided he should have a fancy thing which meant he was the Head Musician or whatever you'd call him. That's why he has a quaver in his hair.
> 
> Ivan and Toris basically say what Yao and Sun said when Arthur was leaving respectively. "Have a safe journey" and "Farewell", I believe is what it is.
> 
> "Igen" is "yes" in Hungarian. "Jó estét" is "good evening". "Kérem" means "please".


	6. Misguidance

Arthur woke at dawn. Blinking, he noticed that there wasn't anyone in the room. No-one was trying to wake him. He sighed and closed his eyes again – there was no hurry to be gone from the country of Hearts. It would only take a few hours to cross the sea to Spades.

Nevertheless, he rose and searched for some clothes to get dressed. In the large wardrobe, decorated with roses, Arthur discovered an outfit was already picked out for him. Attached to part of it was a note from Larry. Carefully, he removed it and read what was written.

 _Wear this or nothing._  
This is what you need to be wearing when you meet King Alfred. It will also be essential for the parade.  
Larry.

The Spade stared at the word 'parade'. A procession through the streets of Donnol? His heart sank and he bit his lip. Would it be possible to slip away?

With considerable reluctance, he pulled the clothes out and began to get dressed. The outfit consisted of dark trousers, black boots, a white shirt and a royal blue jacket. There was even a robe adorned with the Spades of his homeland: a large one over the shoulders and many lining the edges. He pulled everything on except the robe and headed to the door. He paused and listened but he couldn't tell if anyone was outside. With a shrug, he quietly opened the door and peeked out. The corridor was deserted. Slipping out, he closed the door and walked briskly to the stairs.

He passed several servants on the way. They all looked surprised to see him – they were probably wondering why he was up so early. Arthur only ignored them and made his way straight to the garden. Once there, he wound his way through the flowers, gazing at them appreciatively. When he came across a fancy bench, adorned with hearts, he decided to sit and did so with a heavy sigh. He felt he had so many problems: that git Francis, the guards he had to slip away from, his responsibilities. And he wasn't sure he could solve any of them.

* * *

Later, Arthur returned to the castle and, feeling hungry, decided to go to the dining hall. Without knocking, he entered to find a rather surprising scene. Francis, Elizaveta, Feliciano and Roderich were all seated at the table. Arthur's guards and Larry surrounded them, looking anxious. Ludwig was nearby, ready to act. Riley was speaking as Arthur entered.

"And what if he doesn't?! What if he's been kidnapped?! Do something about it!"

"If he _has_ been kidnapped, is that not your fault?" Francis retorted calmly. "Is it not your job to protect him?"

Riley made as if to speak but soon closed his mouth. He stepped backwards and looked round for help. That was when he spotted Arthur standing by the door watching the scene. "Arthur!" he exclaimed, hurrying towards him.

The potential Queen dodged around him and sat beside Feliciano. There was a plate at the place and he gazed at the platters full of croissants and brioche and cake and crépes and toast and various fillings for sandwiches. Quietly, he placed a croissant and a piece of toast on his plate.

"Cher?" said Francis. Arthur ignored him.

"Sir?" asked Larry, hesitantly. Arthur ignored him too.

"Arthur, drága?" said Elizaveta.

"Yes?" Arthur replied, glancing up at her. She looked worried and he quickly glanced back down at his plate. He picked up the croissant and ripped a chunk off.

"Are you still upset about what the King did last night?"

The Spade flushed brilliantly and glanced up. His teeth were gritted and his brow furrowed. Elizaveta appeared quite alarmed so he took a breath and calmed himself. "Of course," he growled.

"I am terribly sorry, Arthur," said Elizaveta, looking quite apologetic. "He is not a bad person, I assure you."

"Of course not," muttered Arthur, returning to his croissant. It tasted amazing – it must have been freshly baked.

"Excusez-moi, chéri," said Francis, graciously. "I promise you that it will not happen again." Glancing at him, Arthur noticed that he did seem apologetic. However, he didn't want to forgive Francis so readily and he turned his nose up at his apology. He went back to eating.

"We're very sorry, too, Arthur," said Charlie. "We didn't mean to upset you. You're-"

"When are we leaving?" asked Arthur.

There was a pause before Rajesh spoke. "After breakfast. We will go get things ready and then we will be on our way."

Larry spoke up. "Go back to your room after this so you can put on your robe."

Arthur nodded his understanding and went on with eating, ignoring Francis' attempts at conversation. Feliciano seemed upset and Elizaveta seemed troubled but neither spoke to Arthur either.

* * *

A couple of hours later, Francis, Elizaveta and Feliciano had left the dining room to attend to various business so he was making the solitary journey to fetch his robe. As Arthur passed by a room with a door ajar, he heard voices and stopped, curious. No-one else paid him much attention as he drew closer, trying to make out what was being said. After a moment, he realised that one of the speakers was Francis. He was having a conversation in Siparian.

"Mère, père. S'il vous plaît, arrêtez cela. C'est fatigant et j'ai déjà pris ma décision."

"Je n'aime pas ça!" exclaimed a woman's voice. Arthur knew enough of the language to know that his mother had just spoken. He wondered what she was protesting against. "Je ne l'aime pas!"

"Mère..." said Francis, his tone warning her.

"Votre mère a raison. Je ne pense pas qu'il est approprié, non plus." Arthur concluded that this man must be Francis' father.

"Assez. Il m'intéresse. Je ne serai pas découragé."

Behind Arthur, a maid dropped something which landed with a clatter and he jerked away from the door with a gasp. Glancing round with wide eyes, he decided it would be a good idea to leave. As he hurried off, he wondered if they had been talking about him.

* * *

With the robe draped over his shoulders, Arthur returned to the entrance of the palace. Larry hurried along in his wake, the robe lifted in his hands so it wouldn't get dirty. Arthur hadn't bothered arguing and Larry hadn't spoken much either.

When they reached the steps, they found only the Jack and the potential Queen waiting for them. Roderich and Ludwig stood nearby. The three guards were lined up in front of the carriage. Riley looked miserable and Charlie seemed down. Rajesh looked as professional as ever – Arthur doubted he had anything to do with the previous night's antics.

He turned to his hosts. "I hope that it is not too long till we meet again." _Though if I never see that damned King, it'll be too soon._

"Addio!" said Feliciano, cheerily.

"Alig várom, hogy újra látni," said Elizaveta with a smile.

Arthur nodded and turned to get into the carriage when he heard a shout from behind. When he looked behind him, he saw Francis hurrying towards them, his robe billowing behind him. He had a bouquet of red roses in his hands and he appeared to be rather out of breath.

"Attendez, attendez!" he cried out. Arthur paused and watched him warily. The King passed by his potential Queen and Jack and held out the flowers to Arthur. "I want you to have these. They are an apology for my actions last night. It will never happen again, cher."

With surprise, Arthur gently took the flowers. No-one had given him flowers before. He opened his mouth to speak. However, unsure as to whether he should thank him or tell him to sod off, he closed it again and turned back to the carriage. He was seated when Francis appeared in the doorway instead of the guards.

"Bon voyage," he said with a smile. Then he disappeared and allowed the three guards and Larry to clamber in. Silently they watched Francis and his court recede into the distance. The silence continued until they had left the capital.

Riley finally broke it. "He was a bit of a drongo, wasn't he?"

Arthur couldn't suppress a snort. When Riley grinned at him, he glanced away. "He's a complete tosser," he said, finally. He heard a laugh and turned back to find the three guards grinning. A faint blush crept across his cheeks.

"Really, now," huffed Larry. "Try to be more respectful."

"He hardly deserves it," protested Arthur.

"He made an error of judgement. I think-"

"I prefer Arthur to Francis, anyway," said Charlie with a smile.

Arthur's blush deepened and he looked out of the window, watching the beautiful countryside passing by.

* * *

The journey home did not take long. Arthur spent most of it watching the kingdom draw nearer. The guards kept their distance and Larry saw fit not to bother him. Another person to keep his distance was the captain who seemed to sense that Arthur was troubled.

Riley, Charlie and Rajesh didn't seem so bad – yet he was planning to run away from them. Would they get into trouble? He wondered if they would be upset. Shaking these thoughts from his head, he thought through what he would do when they docked. Run away from the carriage, dodge through the crowds, lose the stupid robe and the jacket, find Peter and then... Then what? Where could they go?

He was relieved when they reached the harbour – he could stop worrying and take action. Gazing out over Donnol, he wasn't surprised to see banners and bunting in the shape of Spades. One of them even had a 'welcome home' message for him. He felt quite proud to be a Spade. And also rather pleased that they had gone to such lengths just for him.

What _did_ surprise him, though, was the guards lined along the crowds, keeping them at bay. It seemed like the entire palace and city guard were standing to attention, waiting for him. Arthur's heart sank as he realised that there was no way he could get past them.

Yet, he resolved to still try. As the gangplank was lowered, he followed his guards and Larry. They led him to the plain carriage – no fancy things from the Spades kingdom. Rather, it was a practical carriage, navy in colour, capable of doing higher speeds than the others thus far. The driver was dressed in royal blue and the horses had royal blue plumes. It actually put him at ease.

Glancing round, however, he wondered if there was a guard not paying attention. He soon spotted one. A guard near a gaggle of girls was busy being distracted by their flirting. In fact, he was not even facing the carriage. If he was quick, he would be able to make it.

Arthur felt someone grip his wrist and was alarmed to find Riley holding onto him. Before he could panic about being discovered or protest, the guard lifted his arm. A cheer rose around them, applause deafening Arthur. His eyes widened. Why were they cheering so? They hadn't done that for the other potential Queens. He felt he could have heard it in Sipar.

Before he knew what was happening, he was guided to the carriage and lifted into it. He turned to complain but was met with a closing door. Blinking, he leaned out of the window. "Are you not accompanying me?" he asked Charlie, the closest.

"Nope! There's no need to protect you here – you're safe here." The guard smiled up at him, kindness and pride written in his eyes.

"Are you sure that's wise?" he said, mostly to himself.

"You will be fine, Majesty," said Larry, drawing closer. He looked happy yet there were clearly tears in his eyes. "You are a fine, young man so do not worry so much."

Though he was adamant about leaving as soon as he could, Larry's pride and conviction threw him. Was running away the right thing to do? As the carriage rolled away leaving the guards and Larry waving cheerily, Arthur looked down at his clasped hands. Squeezing them tight, he gazed out of the windows, looking for a space in the crowd he could get through.

* * *

By the time the carriage reached the palace entrance, Arthur was fuming. Why were there so many people? Not only that, why were all the guards spaced only a few feet apart? What about the vital places which needed guarding? Had Alfred insisted on them all being there? With his brow furrowed, he exited the vehicle after the footman had opened the door.

Matthew and Alfred were waiting for him. Like the first time he had seen him, Matthew was wearing his official Jack outfit. Alfred had dressed up for the occasion. He actually looked like a King. Adorned with the royal blue, he had a double-breasted waistcoat, navy trousers with smart black shoes. The collar of his white shirt was unbuttoned, however, and the blue tie loose. He also wore a long coat which had black Spades attached to the edges. Arthur could also see a gold chain hanging from the waistcoat where he presumed a pocket watch resided.

Arthur glanced away from this sight and wondered if he could escape from the courtyard. However, there were guards present and, behind him, he could hear the chattering of the expectant crowd as the gathered at the gates to hear the words passed between their new monarchs. He sighed and decided he would have to wait until later – perhaps at night he could slip from the palace when the public were not allowed to block his way.

"Greetings, King Alfred," he said once he had bowed. "My name is Arthur Kirkland. It is a pleasure to meet you." He threw his arm out, making his robe fly from his shoulder. Then he undid his jacket and pulled it and the shirt down so that his Spade mark could be inspected.

"I already know who-!" began Alfred with a grin when he was elbowed in the stomach by his Jack. "Ah!" He quickly bowed in unison with his brother before replying properly. "Greetings, Arthur Kirkland. It is a pleasure to meet you, too. For the first time. Ha." He grinned sheepishly as Matthew rolled his eyes. Finally, he stepped forward and inspected Arthur's mark. The potential Queen flinched, remembering Francis' inspection.

After he had stepped back, Matthew moved forward. He inspected the mark as well. As he stepped back, he said, quietly, "Greetings, Arthur Kirkland."

A cheer rose behind them and Arthur's eyes widened. Glancing round, he saw the crowd waving flags and punching the air in glee. His chest constricted from conflicting emotions: pride, embarrassment and guilt.

"All right!" exclaimed Alfred. "C'mon! I gotta give you my offer and stuff!" He grabbed Arthur's hand and began to pull him to the stairs.

"Ah! Wait! I need to button up my jacket first!" protested Arthur.

"Forget about that!"

"Hey!" The smaller blonde was dragged behind the other as they made their way through the hall and up the stairs. It was a familiar path to Arthur so he did not look around – although Alfred never gave him a chance to pause.

They reached a door and hurried through to reveal the study. When Alfred let go of his hand to round the oak desk, Arthur admired the room. An efficient fireplace, little Spades adorning it – nothing too fancy. Wooden filing cabinets stood out from the darker wooden panels fixed to the wall. Spades in the stained glass window threw shadows onto the floor but didn't hit the desk, averting distraction. The floor was wooden as well, easier for cleaning. It was a place Arthur felt he could spend time in and feel at peace.

Alfred sat without offering Arthur one so he sat anyway. He looked blankly at the cheerful King. The other gazed back, smiling. After some time, Arthur spoke. "Well? What is your offer?"

"Offer?" asked Alfred. "Why do I need to offer you anything? Being my Queen is the best choice!"

"Is it now?" retorted Arthur, annoyed.

"Well, Donnol is your home so if you be my Queen you don't need to go to a strange land with strange customs. You can see all your friends when we're not busy. So it's the perfect place for you. And you're lucky! Even if the other potential Queens get to serve their countries, they have to live in different cities."

Once again, Arthur felt a pang of guilt. "If that's all you have to say...?" he said as he stood.

"Huh? Where are you going?" asked Alfred urgently, following Arthur's lead and rising from his chair.

"If you have nothing else to say, then I shall take my leave," explained Arthur. _I want to find a way out of here._

"But... Why?"

"So... So I can think over my decision."

Alfred's face fell. "You're not just gonna pick me?"

For a moment, Arthur considered trying to make Alfred hate him, to tell Alfred that he preferred being in Diamonds. Instead he shook his head and said, "I'd prefer to make a measured decision."

"Well!" exclaimed Alfred as Arthur turned to leave. He stopped and looked back towards the King. "We have a huge library! And a brilliant garden! And all the guards are like family so it's a fun place to be! And-!"

"I understand!" Arthur held up his hands to stem the flow of information. "I am trying to be polite, Alfred. I am tired from my journey and-"

"Oh! Yeah! Let me take you to your chambers. You get the room next to mine."

Arthur shook his head. "Isn't that the Queen's chambers? I'd prefer to be in a guest room until I have chosen."

"Okay, then! I'll go sort that out!"

"Shouldn't your Jack do something like that?"

"Who, Matthew? Nah, I can do this. Hey, why don't you go to the lounge. That's where Matthew is. He can make you something to drink while you wait. Like coffee." Alfred moved towards the door and opened it, holding it open for Arthur. The smaller man stalked through it, barely looking at the King as he muttered a thank you.

They split up, Alfred running through the throng of servants cheerfully going about their business. Arthur watched him go, wondering what he was up to. The guards were like family, he had said. What exactly was that supposed to mean? What had happened to not allowing the family of Queens to see them?

* * *

Arthur found that he much preferred Matthew to Alfred. He was quieter, polite and he made a good cup of tea despite the maple syrup on the table. They shared some polite conversation. Arthur asked how the kingdom was doing. Matthew asked what he thought of the other Kings.

The lounge was a beautiful room. A table with carved legs was surrounded by comfortable armchairs, all of them a shade of blue. Matthew had explained that the royal blue chairs were supposed to be for the King, Queen and Jack – Arthur had promptly sat in a sky blue chair instead. The fireplace in here was more ornate than the study, several scenes playing out around it. There were also some tapestries along with a few portraits of scenes from around Spades. Once again, Arthur felt at peace.

This peace lasted until the door was thrown open with a bang.

Both men looked round in alarm even as they placed their cups on the table. Alfred was standing breathless in the doorway. For a moment, he seemed annoyed. Then the expression was swept away to one of desperation. Confused, both Arthur and Matthew stood.

"What's wrong, Al?" asked Matthew calmly.

"Show me your mark!" the King commanded, pointing at Arthur.

"What?" asked Arthur, confused. He had already checked it. Why would he need to see it again?

"Show me it!"

The urgency in Alfred's voice alarmed Arthur so he quickly untied his robe and let it drop on an armchair. Then he unbuttoned his jacket and removed that, too. Once he was only in his shirt, he pulled down the neck so the mark was visible. "What's wrong?" he asked when he had finished. He dared to hope that it was not a real mark and he was not the real potential Queen.

Alfred came towards him and gripped him by the shoulders. For a moment, blue stared into green. Then the taller man moved forward, his head tilting. Arthur immediately recalled Francis' inspection. Was Alfred trying to do the same?

"Wha-?!" he gasped before stepping backwards. He raised a hand in front of the King's face and stared at him wide-eyed. "What the hell are you doing?!"

It came as quite a surprise to Arthur when Alfred actually pouted. _Really now! Is he a child?!_ Then he spoke: "You let Francis kiss your mark. I figured you'd let everyone do it," he muttered, petulantly.

The smack seemed to echo round the room. It was shortly followed by the clatter of Alfred's glasses landing on the table. Matthew was wide-eyed. Alfred was also surprised, his hand slowly rising to his cheek. Meanwhile, Arthur was standing with his hand still outstretched. He was breathing heavily and his eyebrows were almost touching, so deep was his frown. Glaring up at Alfred, he tried to calm himself. However, he soon found himself shouting at him.

"How dare you?! I did not _let_ anyone kiss my mark! And I do not appreciate your insinuations, you stupid child!"

Alfred's head turned to glare back at him, a fire in his eyes. "I am _not_ a child!"

"You certainly act like-!"

"Arthur!" cried Matthew, raising his voice above them. The arguing pair looked round at him, still glaring. However, he did not flinch and smiled at the potential Queen. "You must be tired – would you like a bath before I take you to your room?"

For a brief second, Arthur wrestled with the option of shouting at Alfred a bit more. However, the prospect of a bath after all the days at sea was very inviting so he nodded as his expression softened. "Yes, I would very much like one. Thank you," he said.

"Follow me, then," said Matthew. Grateful to the Jack, Arthur followed.

* * *

"Please don't be so hard on him. He's... Well, he's always looked forward to meeting his Queen. He's just excited."

Arthur watched the servants filling the bath in the large room. It was much too big for just the small bronze tub. He glanced at Matthew and shook his head. "I'm not the Queen."

"But in his eyes, you _are_ ," explained the Jack.

"Tsk!" was all Arthur had to respond with.

The servants finished their duties and began to file out of the room, as Arthur had already requested. Matthew bowed his head to Arthur and turned to leave. He paused, though, to say, "Please – give him another chance." Then he was gone, leaving Arthur with a mixture of emotions.

With only his thoughts for company, he began to undress. Should he leave? Should he forgive Alfred or stay angry at him? Being mad would help when he left, Arthur decided. Though, perhaps he shouldn't have hit him so hard. How would he leave?

As he dropped the last piece of fancy clothing onto a stool nearby, he decided to stop thinking and just relax in the bath. He could worry later. There was a soft splash as he climbed into the tub. Finally in it, he lay back and sighed, feeling himself relax. He hadn't realised he had been so tense. Closing his eyes, he smiled.

With a loud bang, the door was nearly thrown off its hinges. Arthur jolted upright, eyes wide to see a panting King come rushing in, his waistcoat, jacket and crown missing. Arthur gasped and hugged his chest, embarrassed.

"Wh-What the _hell_?!"

"Arthur!" Alfred hurried towards him. Arthur leaned away from him, rolling his body so that he wouldn't see anything in the clear water. "I need to talk to you."

"Can't it wait!" said a flustered Arthur.

"No," said Alfred before dropping to one knee. Arthur's eyes widened further. His breathing caught and he was sure his heart had stopped for a moment. "Arthur," said Alfred, bowing his head. "I'm sorry that I said that. And tried to kiss you. I won't do that ever again without your permission."

It took a few moments of silence for Arthur to realise that Alfred was waiting for him to speak. "Wh- You- Why would I ever give you permission?!"

Alfred look up at him with a smile. "You would if I asked you, right?"

Relieved that the warm water had already made him flushed, Arthur shook his head. "Don't be so presumptuous! Now, get out!"

"Yeah, yeah. Suit yourself," said Alfred, rising.

After this escapade, Arthur decided it would be a good idea to get out of the bath as quickly as possible so Alfred wouldn't come barging in when he felt like it. He grabbed the soap as the King turned away from him, raising his hand in farewell. Arthur only rolled his eyes and raised his leg to start washing the foot with the Club mark. He hated looking at it – it only reminded him that he had lost his freedom.

With a yell, he dropped the soap into the tub. Alfred spun round to him, at his side in an instant. "What? What is it? What's wrong?"

Arthur didn't care that Alfred could see him naked and pointed at his raised leg. "The Club mark... It's gone!"

"Oh?" said Alfred, much more calmly than Arthur thought he had any right to be. "I see. It looks as though that sister of Ivan's declared her position as his Queen. I bet he's loving that right now!" He laughed loudly in Arthur's ear even as the smaller Spade stared in horror at his unblemished skin.

"It's... already started?"

"Yup! So hurry up and choose me already!" declared Alfred with a grin.

"Just get out!" snapped Arthur. He turned his head and waited for the other to leave. Once the door had been pulled to, he fished out the soap and scrubbed at his foot. The mark was definitely gone.

He was running out of time.

* * *

By the next morning, Arthur was irritated. Seven times he had tried to escape. Seven times he had been thwarted by bad timing. He was thankful that he hadn't seen Alfred for the rest of the night but he knew that, soon, the man would wake and come looking for him. This was perhaps the last time to get out of the castle.

And so he found himself in the garden. He had seen the security at the front gate and had decided against using that as a means of escape. After stopping a young maid, he had discovered the way into the garden. There was no-one around, thankfully.

In his dark blue trousers and light, white shirt, he moved through the flowerbeds. It was as though he was walking through a waving sea. Blue roses and forget-me-nots could be seen among blue hibiscus and anemone. He paused to sniff at a sprig of lavender and found himself smiling. This garden was very beautiful and he wanted to spend more time here.

However, he took a deep breath and straightened, moving along the paths which led further in. He was hoping that, towards the back, there would be a way to climb over the wall. Or, perhaps, a forgotten gate which would allow him passage back to Peter. Instead, he turned a corner and found himself face-to-face with the white-haired man he had encountered in Hearts, wearing black trousers and a black shirt.

The Spade gasped and took a step back. "Y-You!" he exclaimed. He glanced over his shoulder, wondering if he should call out for help. When he looked back at the man, he noticed that he appeared to be smiling kindly at Arthur. "What... do you want?" asked Arthur.

"Hallo, Arthur," he said. "My name is Gilbert. I'm here to help you."

"Help me? With what?" asked Arthur, suspicious.

"Your problem of getting away from here," explained Gilbert, still smiling.

"What?! How?"

"I can give you magic."

"Magic?" asked Arthur, scoffing. "Only Jokers have magic."

"Genau!" said Gilbert, grinning now. "I'm a Joker."

"You're..." Arthur backed away. He had heard stories of Jokers. They were no countries' allies. They created mischief when they felt like it – they were like the troublesome fairies of stories. And they took people away, gave them magic, and made more Jokers. "You want to make me a Joker?! I don't want that!"

"Nein, nein," said Gilbert, waving a hand dismissively. "You do not need to become a Joker to have magic. I can give it to you instead."

Arthur stared at him. The Joker was grinning at him. Instinct dictated that he shouldn't trust this ruby-eyed man. "What would you require me to pay?"

"I knew there was a reason I liked you!" laughed Gilbert. "You're quick!"

"Do you want my soul?" Arthur didn't much like the thought of this. It would be like trading in one imprisonment for another.

"Oh, nein, nein. I would just like you to owe me a favour. I will ask you to do something after you have sorted yourself out of this problem." Gilbert grinned. "It will be a very small favour."

"A favour...?" asked Arthur, dubious.

"Ja. So, do you want magic?"

"What on Earth would I do with it? I have no idea how to use it. Not without training... Like you would do when creating a new Joker..."

"I shall impart on you certain knowledge, too, so you can do everything from making a spark to killing the King. You don't need to come with me at all. Oh, but you had better do it quickly. Your time is running out." The Joker pointed to Arthur's neck. The Spade's eyes widened, knowing what the problem was. Nevertheless, Gilbert produced a mirror from thin air and Arthur held it up to look at his neck. There was nothing there – the mark of Hearts was gone. "Elizaveta has decided to become the Queen of Hearts."

"Oh, no..." breathed Arthur.

"Another thing," added Gilbert. "Ivan and Kiku have also gained magic. They summoned me and asked for it. For various reasons that I will not disclose." He suddenly looked round, making sure no-one was near before leaning forward and whispering to Arthur. "They wanted more power. Kesesese!"

Swallowing, Arthur eyed him. He was certainly running out of time. Peter was so close and he hadn't seen him in over a week. If he had magic, it would certainly be easier to get out of the castle. Should he accept it? What would the "small" favour be?

Gilbert moved and Arthur glanced down to see his hand held out to the Spade. After a pause, Arthur nodded and took his hand. "Yes. Please give me magic."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Original A/N:  
> he conversation between Francis and his parents: "Mère, père. S'il vous plaît, arrêtez cela. C'est fatigant et j'ai déjà pris ma décision." = "Mother, father. Please, stop this. It is tiring and I have already made my decision.
> 
> "Je n'aime pas ça! Je ne l'aime pas!" = "I do not like this! I do not like him!" (I wanted the "him" part of that to be in italics but the word for him there is "l'" so that wouldn't make sense. Also, I have no idea how French people would stress that. I apologise.)
> 
> "Votre mère a raison. Je ne pense pas qu'il est approprié, non plus." = "Your mother is right. I do not think this is a good idea."
> 
> "Assez. Il m'intéresse. Je ne serai pas découragé." = "Enough. He interests me. I will not be discouraged."
> 
> Arthur understood a bit of the conversation and would have understood it all if he had had the time to translate it. But he only caught bits and pieces and so only understood that Francis was with his parents and they were protesting against someone. Or something. It's hard to tell since the "Il" can be "it" or "him".
> 
> In this world, to make a Joker, you take them away from their loved ones, make their loved ones forget about them, and teach them magic on an island somewhere. (It's not known where exactly.) They're viewed kind of like fairies: they can be good but also bad. It just depends on how long they've been a Joker for. And Gilbert's been one for quite some time (which is said to make them much more untrustworthy and bad).
> 
> And he's bored. Thankfully. Or the story would stop next chapter.
> 
> Oh, I wanted Francis to try to redeem himself. Because I know he probably wouldn't have forced the issue as much as he did. But... A bet's a bet. And... Another reason. (I just like to put in as many pairings as possible into stories. ^^") But there is another reason. That I thought of today. It's quite amusing to me. And it'll be lightly brushed over, basically. [I now have no idea what this reason is...???]


	7. Acceptance

A breeze blew through the city, lifting the heads of the flowers in the royal garden. The large oak trees danced. It was a peaceful scene within the blue, a quiet day. No other movements could be seen – except for the bursts of fire at the far end of the enclosed space.

Down there, Arthur stood, his palms upwards, calling upon the magic he now possessed. With another burst of fire, he formed a rose with the flare, the stem and petals flickering beautifully. He smiled at it, amazed at what he could do now. Although, he knew he hadn't been given all the magic the Joker was capable of. But it was certainly enough to escape from the castle.

Still, it had been a day since he had attained the magic and he hadn't left. This was because he had realised that, had he left, Alfred would come after him. He would search the city. Arthur would be trapped as the guards swarmed the capital.

He knew that he would have to kill the King.

Unfortunately, he had not found Alfred alone. After all, the servants, guards and Matthew were all nice people. He did not want to hurt them. Only Alfred. Yet something within him was objecting to his choice of action, discouraging him from doing anything...

"Yo, Artie. Watcha doing?"

Quickly, Arthur closed his fingers, extinguishing the fire rose. Then he turned to face Alfred. "I am enjoying the peace and quiet of the garden. Or I was – I doubt I will get much peace with you here." He folded his arms and glared at Alfred who smiled in response.

"That's good! I came down here to liven up your day!" declared Alfred.

Raising an eyebrow, Arthur glanced around. He could see no-one else around. Were they alone? "Where are the guards?" he asked as casually as he could.

"Oh, I made sure no-one else was around so I could tell you the good news myself!" said Alfred excitedly. Arthur watched as the tall blonde almost bounced.

"News?" asked Arthur, distracted from his thoughts.

"Yeah!" Alfred waved a letter in the air. Arthur managed to catch sight of the seal of Diamonds. "Yao and Kiku are on their way here!"

"Why?" Arthur blinked in surprise.

"Apparently Kiku still can't decide so me and Yao are gonna debate who's better for him. Course, I won't argue too much but this means you and Kiku can both choose at the same time!" Alfred smiled down at the potential Queen. "But you gotta pick me! I mean, this is your home so you just gotta!"

Arthur's lips parted slightly in surprise. Quickly, he told himself to stop his foolishness and concentrate on escaping. If Yao was arriving with Kiku, he could use this to his advantage. After all, Yao might come after him, too, if he was to disappear. He could kill two birds with one stone – quite literally. "That's... not a normal thing, is it?"

"Nope!" grinned Alfred. "And that's why it's so exciting! Mattie's already making preparations!"

"When will they get here?" asked Arthur, trying to sound nonchalant.

"Ah, with the date on the letter and when I got it, it should only be a couple of days. Let's go get ready!" And with that Alfred grabbed Arthur's hand and started pulling him back towards the castle.

"Eh! Hey! I can walk by myself – let me go!"

Alfred turned to pout at Arthur briefly but grudgingly let go. "Sorry," he said, sulkily.

With a roll of his eyes, Arthur followed. _Don't worry, Peter,_ he thought. _I'll be home soon._

* * *

The next two days dragged on painfully slowly. Arthur found he had to control his anger more than ever lest he suddenly set something alight. It wasn't easy: Alfred was as irritating as ever, never leaving Arthur to his thoughts.

On the third night after the news, Arthur was sitting in the lounge, reading about the coronation ceremony for the three important figures of each country. He had decided to try and look at least a little interested. Unfortunately, it did not stop Alfred from disturbing him. This night was no different.

"Watcha reading?" asked Alfred, standing behind Arthur's chair once again.

Used to this by now, Arthur sighed instead of jumping in surprise. "The same book as I was reading five minutes ago."

"But that's still boring!" cried Alfred, circling round and dropping into one of the chairs opposite. "C'mon! No-one else is here! Talk to me!"

"I don't want to," said Arthur, not looking up.

"Arthur. Arthur. Artie. Art. A-"

"Oh, for goodness sake! It's Arthur!" snapped the Spade, slamming the book shut. "What is it?" Finally, he looked across at Alfred. He was holding a pocket watch shaped like a Spade in his lap. Arthur frowned, wondering what Alfred was up to.

Looking up with a smile, Alfred ran a finger over the surface of the timepiece. "This is inherited by the Kings of Spades. Every country has something like this – our Aces."

"Ace? I've never heard of that before..."

"Not many people do," said Alfred with a shrug. "Kings don't tell anyone. Our fathers tell us not to. 'Course, the Queen and Jack usually find out. Or they ask us."

"Is it stored somewhere special?" asked Arthur, intrigued.

"Nah. I carry it with me, just like my father did."

"But... I thought your parents died at sea."

"Yeah," said Alfred, staring at the clock. "It appeared on my dressing table the moment they..."

Arthur had experience with the death of one's parents and he knew how heartbreaking it must have been to find the watch. He wasn't entirely sure what to say. Eventually, he settled for saying, "My parents died at sea, too."

"Sorry," said Alfred.

"It was quite some time ago."

"Still, gotta be hard, right?"

Not replying, Arthur looked down at his book. "It is certainly hard to be away from my family," Arthur admitted eventually.

"Did you get on well with them?"

Surprised, Arthur looked up and saw that Alfred was looking quite serious. In fact, he looked a lot older with that expression. "Well... I was still quite young when they died so we were close."

Alfred nodded, a small smile on his face. "Yeah... Me and my dad used to fight a lot."

"Oh..."

"So it was probably a good thing that we had made up on the day he left!" Alfred added with a grin.

For a moment, Arthur stared at him. Then he picked up a cushion from a nearby chair and threw it at him. "What the hell?!" snapped Arthur. "And here I was, sympathising with you!" He froze, frowning. _Wait? Sympathy?_ thought Arthur in surprise. _No, stop it. You're going to kill him. Don't think like that!_

"Huh? Whaddya mean?" asked Alfred even as he laughed at the flying cushion.

"Geez," said Arthur, opening his book again. He sighed as he flicked through to his place.

"Ah, wait! Don't stop talking to me!" exclaimed Alfred hurriedly.

"Why shouldn't I?"

"Because... We're getting to know each other..."

When Arthur looked up in surprise, he realised that Alfred was rather upset. With a sigh he closed his book. "I suppose we could talk for a little while longer before I retire."

"Great!" Alfred brightened up considerably. "So, so! What's your favourite part of the castle?"

"The garden," was Arthur's immediate response.

"Oh? You like flowers?"

"Yes. I have a garden at home."

"It reminds you of there?"

"Of course. I also happen to get more peace and quiet than here," added Arthur, pointedly.

Alfred grinned sheepishly. Then a faraway look crossed his face. When he frowned afterwards in thought, Arthur blinked, confused. Finally, Alfred spoke: "Have you ever grown sunflowers? Like Ivan has?"

"You have seen them, too? Well, yes. I have often grown sunflowers. They're bright and always seem to be cheerful. If I was ever..." Arthur trailed off, realising he was about to reveal too much of himself. "Why do you ask?"

"Ah, um... No reason. Oh, hey! Where in the city did you live?"

Suspicious, Arthur's eyes narrowed. "Why?"

"No reason."

"Then I shall not deign to answer."

"But-! That's just mean!"

Arthur only smirked at him. "Is there another question to come?"

"Well... What's your favourite Spade city? Mine is definitely Dingashcon W. C. It just feels so new and cool! And it's so far from the capital and the palace... I can't wait till we do the tour!"

"Tour?" asked Arthur with a frown.

"Yeah, the royals go touring round the cities to introduce themselves and see how they're all holding up! It'll be fun to do that!" Alfred grinned excitedly at Arthur.

Averting his eyes, Arthur stared at his book again. "I... have never been to anywhere in this kingdom bar here. My brothers have spread throughout the kingdom to be guards but I had to stay behind."

"Really? Then I _definitely_ can't wait till we do that! It'll be _awesome_!"

With a glance at the King, Arthur realised how excited he was. Feeling a little guilty, he stood. "I... am going to bed. I am tired and King Yao and Kiku should be here tomorrow."

"Ah! Yeah! I'll-"

"Goodnight," Arthur interrupted before he could rise. He bowed and hurriedly left the room, praying that Alfred wouldn't follow – he felt his resolve would waver if he had to look at those puppy-like eyes again.

* * *

"Yo, Yao! How's it going?" cried Alfred, raising his arm. The sleeve of his official uniform slid down slightly and Arthur twitched beside him, wanting to pull it back down. In fact, he wanted to tidy Alfred's entire appearance. His jacket was slipping off one shoulder and his tie was crooked. The only thing in place seemed to be the Ace.

"Wènhòu, King Alfred," said Yao. He looked none too impressed with Alfred's welcome. Once again, he was in his official uniform.

"Go aisatsu, King Alfred," said Kiku who was standing slightly behind Yao. He was wearing a pale yellow robe adorned with small orange diamonds and a bright orange tie to keep it closed. "Jack Matthew," he continued in his greeting, bowing. Turning, he bowed to Arthur as well. "Konnichiwa, Arthur-san."

"Hello, Kiku," said Matthew quietly.

"Yes, hello, Yao and Kiku. It is splendid to see you again so soon," said Arthur, flashing a small smile at them both.

"Well, now we all said hello – c'mon, c'mon!" exclaimed Alfred. He grabbed Arthur's hand and pulled him back into the castle.

"He-! Alfred! Stop! Slow down!" cried Arthur, struggling to pull his hand free. Digging in his heels, he hoped Alfred would stop. Unfortunately for Arthur, Alfred had been trained with the palace guards and was considerably stronger than him. Arthur stumbled along, looking back at the other three with a red face.

Eventually, Alfred let Arthur go to open the doors of a room which had been prepared for the two Kings and potential Queens. Four chairs surrounded a small table, Spades decorating the glass. Bookcases lined the walls giving the impression that this was an area for work. Large bay windows were closed so that no-one could hear what was being said. Sunlight streamed through them, brightening the quiet place. Arthur hurried in and chose a chair near the door before Alfred could grab his arm again. Kiku passed him by, choosing the seat on his other side. The two Kings were left to sit side by side opposite the two choosing the fates of their Kingdoms.

Matthew closed the doors. "I will wait in the lounge, Alfred. Let me know once it's been decided."

"Sure thing, bro," said Alfred with a grin.

Arthur breathed out when they were finally alone. He could do it now. Use his magic, kill the Kings. It was time. Pointing two fingers at the doors, he slowly and quietly locked the door from where he was sitting, using his magic.

"How are you-?" Kiku began but he was cut off by Alfred.

"Let's get started! You should both choose me cause I'm awesome and heroic and just the best!"

"We both can't choose you, idiot!" Arthur snapped, losing his cool. He was glad that he had finished locking them in as he lost his concentration.

"True that. So you should pick me, Artie," he replied with a grin.

"My name is _Arthur_ ," the potential Queen reminded him with a scowl.

"You two seem to be getting along well, Arthur-san, Alfred-sama," said Kiku quietly.

"No we don't!" cried Arthur. He had been going to be as subtle as possible but now that he was riled up, he stood, his fists clenched. "In fact, I don't plan to stay here much longer!"

"Ar-Arthur..." breathed Alfred. He looked so downhearted that Arthur wavered. "You..."

"I refuse to be Queen! I am going home!" And, with that, Arthur lifted his hands. Ropes appeared from nowhere and snaked their way around the other occupants of the room. They were fast and strong and soon all three of them were tied tightly to their chairs. Their struggling was useless.

"Nǐ juéde nǐ zài zuò shénme?!" exclaimed Yao.

"Shut up!" growled Arthur, gesturing at the King of Diamonds. A strip of cloth appeared from nowhere and tied itself around Yao, gagging him. Realising that Alfred was about to speak, Arthur did the same to him.

"You... You have magic, Arthur-san?" asked a surprised Kiku.

"Don't act like you have none either, Kiku," sneered Arthur. "You have magic, too, even if you are trying to hide that from your King."

"I do not know what your are talking about. I have no magic – if I did, I would not have been caught so easily." The Diamond wriggled on his chair. "Onegai, release us. I do not know why you are fighting your fate, but let us discuss this-"

"Shut up! You are lying! The Joker..."

"You are believing what a Joker has said?" said Kiku, tilting his head. "You do not strike me as a person who would trust him so easily. What is it that you need magic for?"

"To escape," muttered Arthur. "And to do that, I must kill the Kings."

"And me?"

Looking at the smaller man, Arthur suddenly realised how naturally regal he looked. He sat straight, his jaw set in determination. Arthur was astonished – he was not royal so why could he look like he was? He glanced away, trying not to let himself wonder if he could look the same. "I..."

"Arthur-san, you must listen to reason. Whatever it is that is bothering you, whatever it is that you want to go back to, you must tell us. We cannot help you if you do not communicate. Communication is a key skill for Kings to have with their common folk."

Kiku was smiling kindly at Arthur when he looked back at him in surprise. He had ceased his wriggling as well. Tensing, Arthur thought quickly. With a violent shake of his head, he raised a hand in Alfred's direction and clenched. The ropes began to squeeze the young man. "I... I can't stop now..." he said over the grunts of pain coming from the King. After all, he had managed to get himself into debt with the Joker – he couldn't let his benefit go to waste.

"Is- Is it a lover?!" Kiku exclaimed, the worry clear in his voice. Arthur looked round with a frown, his hand lowering slightly. The ropes stopped squeezing but remained as tight. Alfred huffed in pain, breathing deep through his nose. "Are you in love, Arthur-san?"

"What? No, that's..." Arthur gave a little chuckle. "I have had no time for women! I have been too busy working several jobs just to make ends meet. I did not want my brother on the streets!"

"Your 'responsibility'?" said Kiku.

"I- Yes..." admitted Arthur. "Peter has no-one else. Unless he uproots himself and follows my brothers. After all, I will not be permitted to see him again. I can't... I can't just abandon him!"

Kiku frowned. "You will not be permitted to see your family?"

"The sister of the former Queen told me so!"

At this, Alfred began to mumble through his gag. He had a partly amused expression, though he did not seem to know whether he should be that or annoyed. For a moment, Arthur considered just killing him to shut him up. But his curiosity got the better of him and he magicked away the cloth.

"Alfred-sama..." muttered Kiku, a slight warning in his voice.

"Arthur, you're not as clever as I thought you were!" declared Alfred. Taken aback, Arthur didn't reply and Alfred continued. "That woman was my mother's sister, yes, but she hated the Queen and the Queen hated her. They were always arguing and her sister found it unfair that she got to be Queen. My mother chose not to associate herself with her sister after becoming Queen. The woman you met was always turned away by my own mother, not by the guards or the King or any other person!"

"W-What...?" gasped Arthur, staring wide-eyed at the King.

"I didn't know you had a brother," added Alfred, cheerfully. "Hey, when can I meet him? Ah, we should totally invite him to the coronation. Maybe not the other Kings', though, of course. That'd be rude, inviting another member. Right?" he asked Kiku. The Diamond nodded. "And, if you don't want him to be on his own, he can move in here. We can teach him how to be a palace guard and then he can protect his own brother."

Sure the heat in his cheeks was visible to everyone, Arthur turned away from Alfred's grin. "You're... lying."

"Nope."

"That's-! That's not going to convince me, idiot!"

"I don't care."

"What?!" snapped Arthur, glaring across the room at his King. Alfred only smiled back at him. Arthur froze – there was a look in Alfred's eyes which he had never seen before. Nobody had ever looked at him like that and he was unsure what it meant. Sure he was teasing him, he clicked his tongue. "Why would the Joker give me magic if this information was not correct?"

"Who knows with Jokers?" said Alfred with a shrug.

"The Joker told you that I had magic – and he was lying, Arthur-san," Kiku interjected.

"If that is true then I suppose he lied about Ivan obtaining magic, also..." muttered Arthur. Yao snorted with laughter. Alfred openly snickered.

"With the way the Kingdom of Clubs is, Ivan would have taken over the world by now of he had magic," said Kiku, gently.

Feeling his cheeks burning hotter now, Arthur turned his back on them. He could feel himself tearing up. How could he have let himself be fooled? The Joker had toyed with him when he had been desperate and vulnerable, he now understood. With anger towards the Joker rising, he turned and glared at them all. But Kiku and Alfred were still smiling at him kindly. Yao looked as though he was pitying him. Glancing at the books around the room, Arthur realised that, for all his reading and working, he was still too naïve about the world.

"If..." said Arthur, looking directly at Alfred who sat up straighter. "If I become your Queen, I will get to see Peter, yes? And learn more about the world?"

"Absolutely!" grinned Alfred.

After another brief moment of hesitation, Arthur knelt on one knee, facing Alfred, a hand on his heart. As he did so, the ropes and remaining gag disappeared, freeing all of them. "My King," began Arthur.

"Arthur!" exclaimed Alfred and the potential Queen glanced up in time to see the King throwing his arms around him. "Are you-?! Are you really gonna?!"

"If I could get the words out..." muttered Arthur, darkly, trying to push Alfred away.

"Ah, yeah, sure," said Alfred, hurriedly, bouncing to his feet.

"My King," repeated Arthur. "I, Arthur Kirkland, would like to serve the Kingdom of Spades and work with you, my King, in making the country a better place. I pledge myself to you and agree to be your Queen, from now until my death or the next succession." With that he looked up at Alfred – who was now tearing up in happiness. "Ah, Alfred!" exclaimed Arthur, hurrying to his feet and hugging the man. "Geez, we have company. Think of the impression you are sending them!" He patted Alfred's back before stopping and staring at his blank hand.

Kiku suddenly knelt, facing Yao. "My King," he said. "I, Kiku Honda, would like to serve the Kingdom of Diamonds and work with you, my King, in making the country a better place. I pledge myself to you and agree to be your Queen from now until my death or the next succession."

"Hǎo. When did you make your decision, Kiku?" asked Yao, not moving from his chair.

The Queen of Diamonds rose and smiled mysteriously. Then he sat in his chair and looked at Arthur. "Congratulations, Arthur-san."

"I... Well..." said Arthur, blushing as he tried to pry Alfred from him. "Sheesh, Alfred, stop clinging to me like that!"

It took some effort for Arthur to squirm away from Alfred who grinned happily down at him. "I have a Queen!" he sang, happily. "Ah! I have to tell Mattie!" And with that he rushed out of the now unlocked door.

"Queen Arthur," said Yao when Alfred had disappeared. "I would like to send word of this to Jack Sun. And we must depart immediately to make preparations for the coronation."

"Ah, yes, of course," said Arthur, rather startled at being addressed in such a way. "I will find someone to do as you ask right away. Please, make yourself comfortable here. I will be back soon."

"Arigatou, Arthur-san," said Kiku with a small smile.

Instinctively, the Queen of Spades bowed as he left the room. In the corridor he smiled to himself – it seemed that there would be no consequences for trying to kill the Kings. Which was more than he could have asked for, given the circumstances.

* * *

The hand moved again, this time settling at the 'five to' position. It quivered there as the small, yellow bird cheeped at it.

Gilbert looked up at him. "Kesesese! It looks as though everything is going according to plan." The small bird seemed to tilt its head questioningly. "I knew he would not be able to kill the King of Spades," explained Gilbert. "Nor the King of Diamonds." An incredulous chirp escaped from Gilbird. The white-haired man sighed. "Okay, so I was not certain – but either action serves me well."

Leaning backwards on his chair, Gilbert stretched. Then he levitated himself off the chair and moved towards a long table tucked away in the corner of the room. Upon this were several sheaves of parchment. The older ones were even bound by a cover entitled "My Awesome Diary". There were not many of these compared to the rest.

Reaching the table, Gilbert reached out lazily and a single sheet extracted itself from the piles and flew towards him. He caught it between middle and forefinger, grinning. "Well, then. This is going to be fun," he said with a smirk, inspecting it. "Hm, nein, I think another one will be needed." Another sheet flew over and joined the first. "This should do it."

Gilbird flew over and perched on his shoulder, gazing at the things in his hand. The sheets of paper appeared blank but, in the flickering candlelight, they seemed to shine. This was due to the magic infused with all of them.

"What do you think?" Gilbert asked Gilbird. A series of chirping forward, something which Gilbert had long since decided was laughter. "I hope you are laughing with me..." he muttered with a pout. "Now, how long should I wait before I go to him. How about... midnight. Everything else happens at midnight, ja?" Standing, Gilbert stretched once more and grinned wider than ever. "I do hope the Queen is not missing me."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Original A/N:  
> "Nǐ juéde nǐ zài zuò shénme?!" = "What do you think you're doing?!"
> 
> I'm not sure if I wrote Arthur's arguments with himself and what he was trying to do very well. I'm sorry about that. But I reckon the rest of it will be easier to write.


	8. Deliverance

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Original A/N:  
> The title of this chapter sounds so serious - all I really mean is there's a delivery. I think I'm all out of what I'm naming each chapter now...

Arthur was marvelling at the range of clothes in his wardrobe – _his_ wardrobe – when there was a knock at his bedroom door. Startled, he swung his wardrobe shut and made his way to answer. However, before he could, the door banged open and Alfred rushed in. Arthur winced as it hit the wall and bounced off.

"Alfred!" admonished the Queen. "Enter rooms more quietly from now on!"

"Okay dokey!" said Alfred, cheerily, grinning at his Queen. "Yao and Kiku are gone now! Let's celebrate!"

"Ah..." Arthur replied, not sure what to say or do.

"C'mon, then! Mattie's waiting for us in the lounge!" With that being said, Alfred grabbed Arthur's hand and all but dragged the smaller man out of the room.

"Hey! Wait! Let go! I can walk there on my own!" Arthur protested, trying to tug himself free.

"Yeah, but you're too slow about it!"

Finally, they reached the room and Arthur sighed in relief. Once again, he tried to pull away from Alfred but the King kept a tight grip and opened the door with his other hand. Arthur really didn't want Matthew to see them holding hands so, alarmed, he threw himself backwards, trying desperately to get free.

Instead of letting him go, Alfred blinked at him and quickly slipped his arm around Arthur's waist. "You okay? You looked like you were about to fall over... Did you stumble?"

"No, I-!" began Arthur before glancing in the room. Matthew was sitting with his back to them, thankfully, but he seemed about to turn around due to all the commotion. "Just let go of me!" he hissed.

With a surprised look, Alfred finally let go of him. "Sorry..." he said, looking confused.

Rolling his eyes, Arthur entered the room. Matthew smiled at him. "Hello, my Queen."

"Oh, now, _you_ don't have to call me that," said Arthur dismissively, smiling warmly at him.

"What if I want to?" asked Alfred with a large grin as he closed the door.

"If you know what's good for you, don't." Arthur sat across from Matthew and was delighted to see that tea was provided. He poured himself a cup and gratefully drank it. The day had been full of ups and downs so his favourite beverage was relaxing.

"Urgh," said Alfred. "I hate that stuff."

Arthur was surprised. "How can you not like tea?"

"I prefer coffee," said Alfred with a shrug, gazing happily at the other pot on the table.

"But that must be a lot more expensive to reach the palace! Surely it would be better to drink tea and save money for the people?"

The King pouted. "But I don't like tea! Besides, tea is imported from Hiled and Jibineg – that costs way more than the coffee!"

Shaking his head, Arthur place his cup down. "Hiled exports to all the other countries. And, with Jibineg, we have a roaring trade. Tea is beneficial. Unlike coffee. Only a select few drink that and it is really expensive as such. Please consider this in future."

"You don't need ships to get coffee," Alfred retorted, pouting at Arthur. The Queen only frowned and shook his head once again.

"I think it's within our budget, Arthur," said Matthew, quietly, picking up a bottle and squirting the contents into his teacup.

"What is that?" asked Arthur, curiously.

"Maple syrup."

After a brief pause, Arthur decided to give up on the subject of whether they should keep ordering certain foodstuff. Instead, he glanced at Alfred and frowned. "This is a rather tame celebration. I almost expected fireworks and alcohol."

Matthew winced but the damage was done. "Oh, wow!" exclaimed Alfred. "That sounds like such an awesome idea! Mattie, can you do that?!"

"I can," said Matthew with an exasperated smile.

"Ah, no, I did not-!" Arthur began but Alfred suddenly rose and switched chairs, dropping down beside Arthur.

"Thanks, Artie! That was such an awesome idea for your first night as Queen!"

"That-! You-! Stop!" cried Arthur as Matthew obediently rose from his place.

"He won't stop pestering till he gets his way," explained Matthew, apologetically. Then the Jack slipped from the room.

"Mattie's such a great brother! He knows just who to talk to so I can get what I want!" said Alfred, grinning at Arthur.

"Hm. How childish," said Arthur as he lifted his teacup.

"Hey," said Alfred. When Arthur glanced at him, he realised that the King suddenly looked down.

"Yes?"

Chewing on his lip, Alfred gazed at him for a moment before looking away. "You do know about the coronations? We have to go to all of them..."

"I do. As such, it will be a while before I see my younger brother again." Although he carefully kept his face blank, Arthur had only found out that afternoon from Larry who had come to measure him again. The measurement was unnecessary but the information was welcome. He had been rather upset at first, yelling at Riley and Charlie who dared to peek into the room after Larry was finished. They had placated him until he had calmed down. Now, though he was aching to make sure his brother was safe, Arthur was keeping his composure. His new duties may keep him busy but he would make sure they were done before he tended to personal matters.

"Yeah... You still angry at me about that?" asked Alfred, nervously.

"Of course not. That was my own naivety and misunderstanding." Arthur paused. "I do apologise profusely for my behaviour. The Spade kingdom must be ashamed of me..."

"Nah, it loves you," said Alfred with a grin. Arthur frowned, wondering how he could be sure when Arthur hadn't even been introduced to the populace yet. "You're different."

"Different...?"

"Obviously. You'll be great for the kingdom!"

Trying not to blush and failing, Arthur looked away and picked up his tea. "Well, next time, I shall not run from my responsibilities. Not that I can, now everyone knows who I am," he added jokingly.

"Yup. I've always known, really. Well, not always but since we were kids."

Arthur almost choked on his tea. "You... What?!"

Alfred sighed dramatically. "I _knew_ you didn't remember!"

"What do you mean?!" demanded Arthur, setting his cup down and turning so that he was facing Alfred.

Taking a deep breath, Alfred launched into his explanation. "My dad took me on a tour of the kingdom 'cause, y'know, he could. But also 'cause I needed to see my future kingdom. But I was rather young for that and didn't really care about meeting nobles, especially since it was nearing my birthday. I wanted to go play so, after introducing me to a lot of nobles, I ended up at your house."

Letting this sink in, Arthur stared at Alfred's confident blue eyes. Something was stirring in his memory but he couldn't quite place it yet. "How old were you?" Arthur asked.

"About four," replied Alfred with a shrug. "Not really sure. But, when we got there, your parents, instead of talking to me like I knew what they were saying, chased me into the garden where you were. I tried to get you to play but you wouldn't leave your plants alone. Finally, _finally_ , you relented and played! I told you all about my birthday and how I would be away from all my friends - y'know, the guards and that - and you said you were sorry for that but that I should be happy that I wasn't a street urchin or something. Then, as I was leaving, you hurried up to me, all shy cause you knew I was important all of a sudden, and-

"- gave you a pot..." said Arthur, slowly, remembering. He could scarcely believe that the little golden-haired boy, the sweet little thing that had successfully riled him enough to leave his flowers, was the same man before him. The little prince had _definitely_ grown up...

"Yeah!" grinned Alfred, obviously ecstatic that he now remembered. "You said it was a present. And in it was a sunflower! I wouldn't let anyone take it from me and I kept it beside my bed! Then we went to visit the other countries and, well..." He trailed off, looking a little guilty.

"And you gave it to Ivan who has taken brilliant care of them," finished Arthur with a small, proud smile. "Although, I must say, I am glad it was not left in your care alone – it may have died, what with your apparent short attention span."

"I don't have a short attention span," said Alfred with an indignant pout. "I'm the one who snuck out of the castle to see you after I got back from all my touring. _You_ were the one who completely forgot about me."

"Huh?" said Arthur, dumbly, feeling himself blush. "You came to see me?"

"Uh..." said Alfred, looking sheepish. "Well, I tried to... But the guards spotted me before I got a street away and I got taken home. I tried a few other times but I kept getting caught."

"I see..." Arthur said a little hesitantly. Barely, he could remember being upset that little Al hadn't returned to him. But, after a few months, he had returned to his gardening and looking forward to having a younger sibling to boss around. When Peter had come along, his hands had become full helping his parents. Al was forgotten as life moved on.

"When I became King..." began Alfred. He paused as Arthur gazed at him, noticing a sad expression cross his face. It vanished as quickly as it had come and Alfred looked back to Arthur, smiling softly. "When we knew there was a Queen out there somewhere, I knew it'd be you."

"Eh...?" breathed Arthur, a little shocked.

There was a knock at the door and Matthew re-entered. He surveyed them for a moment, clearing noting how close his brother was to Arthur as he leaned eagerly towards him. Smiling, he bowed to them. "The fireworks have been prepared if you'd like to come to the garden."

"Yay! C'mon, Artie!" cried Alfred, grabbing Arthur's hand once again. This time, Arthur slipped from his grasp and rose on his own.

"It's Arthur!" he insisted as he followed them.

"But I wanna call you Artie! I called you that when we were kids!"

"We are not children any more. My name is _Arthur_."

"Okay, okay! Just hurry up, will ya? This is gonna be a blast!"

Sighing, Arthur watched Alfred race along the corridor, starling maids out of his way. With a shake of his head, Arthur glanced at Matthew who he had fallen in step with. "Sorry for suggesting this. I said it without thinking."

"That's okay," Matthew assured him. "We have fireworks for the coronation. There'll just be a few less for that occasion."

"Ah, smart thinking," said Arthur, nodding in approval.

"Thank you, my- Arthur," said Matthew, blushing a little and looking proud.

At the door to the garden, Alfred was bouncing, a maid behind him staring in alarm. "Hurry, hurry, c'mon!" he called.

"Alfred, behave yourself!" demanded Arthur and the King quit his bouncing with a pout. "I apologise, miss," Arthur added to the girl with a smile.

"N-No, sire. It-It's not a problem..." she said, breathlessly.

"You're so slow!" cried Alfred as Arthur and Matthew reached him. Grabbing Arthur's arm he dragged him through the door. This time, Arthur only sighed. He supposed there was no use in telling him to stop.

In the night air, Arthur shivered a little. It was cooler than it had been earlier and his silk shirt did not do much to keep in the heat. The dusk made the blue plants appear black and the greenery grey, lending to the chill. A deathly silence had fallen over the place, no birds tweeting like normal.

"Peaceful, isn't it?" said Matthew behind him.

Arthur actually found it slightly eerie but nodded anyway. Before he could say anything, the peace was shattered by a bang overhead. Gasping, Arthur gazed upwards to find bright blue lights in the sky. It was certainly beautiful, the light brightening the flowers.

"Wow!" cried Alfred, as if he had never seen them before. Matthew drew closer to him, standing silently beside him. Arthur hung back, not wanting to intrude on the remains of Alfred's family. Instead, he turned his face up and watched the seemingly never-ending fireworks. After a few moments of doing this, however, he became a little fed up and looked round at the garden, gazing at the flowers.

A movement caught his eye and he looked up to see someone standing in the shadow of a tree. _Gilbert?_ With a quick glance at the preoccupied brothers, Arthur slipped away. When he reached the Joker, a red firework exploded above them making Gilbert's eyes shine with more colour than before.

"Hallo! I was going to wait until midnight but then I got bored!"

"What do you want?" asked Arthur, folding his arms.

"Oh, you know," said Gilbert, grinning, the bird on his shoulder cheeping.

"You lied to me," Arthur pointed out. "I rather think I do not need to undertake your 'favour' – whatever it is."

"Now, do not say that," said the Joker, smiling mischievously. "It is very simple. And you will 'learn more about the world'."

Arthur was grateful for the darkness as he felt himself blush. He scowled. "What is it, then?" he demanded.

Gilbert held out his hand and Arthur glanced down at it. Frowning, he held out his own and took hold of it. The parchment crinkled in his hand and he took it in confusion. "These are parts of my awesome journal. You need to activate them by magic," Gilbert explained. "When you do, you will hear my memories as I heard them. I spared you my thoughts, though – they're too awesome for you!"

"More like you do not want anyone to know your true intentions."

Pouting, Gilbert put his hands on his hips. "Not awesome," he muttered.

"Well, what do you want me to do with this?"

"I just want you to listen to them. That will be all and your debt will be paid."

Immediately, Arthur became suspicious. "What is this...? You cannot-"

"Arthur!" called Alfred.

Surprised, Arthur jolted backwards, away from Gilbert, and turned. Alfred seemed to be unaware of where he was as he was looking around him in confusion. Turning back, Arthur found that Gilbert had vanished so he hurried towards his King, slipping the parchment into his pocket. Reaching him, Alfred looked relieved and pulled him into a tight hug.

"Ah, Alfred!" gasped Arthur. "You are hurting me!"

Not seeming to hear him, Alfred released him. "Now isn't the time to look at your precious flowers, Artie! Look at them!" The childish man pointed excitedly at the continuing fireworks. Arthur was frankly surprised it was still continuing. There must have been a lot of fireworks for the coronation.

"Yes, yes," said Arthur, rubbing at his ribs. He wished he could retire but he didn't want to put undue worry on Alfred or Matthew and he couldn't think of a good reason to excuse himself. "They are... pretty, I suppose."

"Yeah!"

"What were you doing down there, Arthur?" asked Matthew, suddenly at his elbow.

Startled, Arthur tried to think. "I-I thought I saw a cat..." he said, weakly.

Matthew looked at him for a moment before reaching a decision. "Yes... They seem to like slipping in through the gate," he said. "Just don't tell Alfred or he'll want one."

Gratefully, Arthur nodded and smiled. "Do not worry yourself. I am not letting him get any pets." They both turned back to watch Alfred's joy at the fireworks.

* * *

Having finally gotten rid of Alfred (who seemed to think that, after the impromptu party, they could 'hang' in the Queen's suite), Arthur went over to the table and armchair that was placed beside the fire. The room was different from the one he had been in before. He was sure the bed was bigger, with more bedclothes. The wardrobe was almost the length of the wall. Candles were placed around the room but the servants had blown them all out except for candelabra Arthur had been holding.

Sitting down, Arthur took the pieces of parchment from his pocket. One was labelled with a '1' and the other a '2'. Taking a breath, wondering what would happen to him, Arthur placed the second one on the table before willing the first journal entry to activate. He was startled as he heard the voices and he had to look around to make sure no-one was in the room. Calming himself, Arthur listened...

* * *

" _How... How dare they?!" said a man's gasping voice. "How_ dare _they?!"_

_"Woah, there, mister," came Gilbert's voice. "I wouldn't move around if I were you."_

_"Who are you?"_

_"I'm the one and only Joker! And you're the current King of Spades. Man, it's a good thing you already have a boy, huh?"_

_"Silence! I am not dead yet!"_

_"But you soon will be, what with having been assassinated," said Gilbert, suddenly serious. "But you want revenge, ja?"_

_"Of course!" snapped the King._

_"Then I have just the thing for you!"_

_"What are you prattling on about?"_

_"A curse."_

_There was a pause as the King contemplated the Joker's words. "And... who would that curse affect."_

_The grin could almost be heard in Gilbert's voice as he replied. "Oh, only the King, Queen and Jack of every country in this world. For instance, when you die, they will have to remove themselves from their own thrones or face death."_

_Another pause. "What are the exact details?"_

_"If a King or Queen dies, the Kings, Queens and Jacks of every country will have to step down. The Jack position is currently given to a noble, but I bet you any amount of your remaining time alive that it will change. He or she will be voted in. As for the Queens, I have something special in mind for them. Do not worry, though – you will not be affected by these changes. Kesesesese!"_

_"And what must I do for you?"_

_"The curse requires... certain conditions..."_

_"Such as?"_

* * *

Shocked, Arthur let the piece of parchment fall. It had stopped at that point and he was wondering what it meant. He knew that everyone had talked about a curse but the real consequences of it had happened so long ago, no-one really believed that it had happened any more. No-one remembered how it had used to be and so it had always proceeded like this.

What had the King of Spades had to do to implement the curse? How could he have done that, despite knowing how it would affect his descendants?

Most disturbingly of all, why had Gilbert made him listen to this?

Reluctantly, he picked up the next entry and willed it to activate, listening intently.

* * *

" _Hallo, there!" said Gilbert, cheerily. "What is it that you want?"_

_A man's voice answered, a different accent from the first. "I need you to kill the King and Queen of Spades."_

_"Needing a change of scenery so soon?" asked Gilbert, the amusement clear in his voice._

_"Something like that."_

_"Well, I am afraid that I cannot do that, King of Clubs. After all, I only meddle a little. Watching the world fall apart on its own is my pleasure."_

_"You will not do it?" asked the King._

_"Nein. But I can find someone who will..."_

_"Do that, then."_

_"Do you really want Ivan on the throne, though? At such a young age?" asked Gilbert._

_"Net. I will not discuss my reasons to you."_

_"Keep your underwear untwisted," said Gilbert, probably grinning._

_"It will be difficult to kill them, though. Will your person be able to do it?"_

_"Ja. After all, they_ do _spend a lot of time at sea."_

_"_ _Khorosho," replied the King of Clubs. "What do you wish for in return? I hope it-"_

* * *

Magically, the two pieces of parchment caught fire. They shrivelled up and disappeared as Arthur stared at the space where they had been. Now he understood why the Joker had given them to him.

Firstly, he now knew that the person who had started the unusual process of succession had been the King of Spades. The disasters which had forced the others from their thrones were part of the curse. But it was all revenge for an assassination. One of the other countries had dared to kill the King.

He also now knew that someone had killed the previous King and Queen – paid, no doubt, by the King of Clubs. Arthur was unsure why they would want this but he felt irrationally angry. Alfred and Matthew were kind and good men – they did not deserve to suffer for the Kings and Queens' games. The desire for revenge was strong.

However, if revenge was to be sought, war would fall upon the world. As a Queen, Arthur could not let that sort of thing ravage his country.

So he found himself faced with a decision. Should he tell Alfred his discovery? Or should he keep quiet?

Thinking back to everything the Joker had ever told him, he knew that Gilbert was a liar. Was this a lie, too? Something staged to give a semblance of truth.

Chewing his lip, he realised the only way to go about this. Arthur would have to investigate himself. If he found out whether the King of Clubs had really commissioned the assassination and why, perhaps Alfred would be a bit calmer about it. For Arthur had no doubt the young King would become enraged when he discovered the truth.

With a sigh, Arthur rose and walked to his bed in the dim light from the fire and candelabra. He settled himself down before, with his magic, he extinguished all the light sources so that he could worry in the dark...

* * *

The clock struck five to and began to chime. Gilbert grinned and glanced up from one of Arthur's books he had taken from his house. "So the boring Spade finally listened to them? It is ironic it is midnight, nein?" His pet bird chirruped. "I had better prepare my official uniform!"

With that, he stood and smoothed down his clothes. Magically, a tail appeared, attached to his trousers. Horns were suddenly on his head. A mask formed in mid-air, white with red lines, no face to speak of.

"Ready!" grinned Gilbert as he plucked the mask from the air. He was looking forward to what Arthur would do next.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Original A/N:  
> Khorosho means Good.
> 
> Arthur's parents were nobles. I'm not sure if I pointed that out before and I sincerely hope I did. Oh, I haven't. Basically they were the lowest of the nobles. But they were important to the King and Queen for a particular reason. Which I won't bother to discuss just now.
> 
> I think that's about it. Except... Gil's mask is basically cause I read a doujin where he had one and it actually looked pretty darn awesome. Better than the art I saw when I Googled to find out what he actually wore in art. Turns out it's a hoodie. Shoulda known.


	9. Abeyance

A peaceful morning swept over the Kingdom of Spades and Arthur eyed the thin line of light which shone through the curtains. Although he was still worried about the revelations from the night before, he was feeling rather relaxed. Once he had fixed this, he was sure that their country would be governed well. He, of course, would make sure of it. Strangely enough, he was looking forward to becoming Queen. There were so many things he wanted to do. For instance, a new law, perhaps, to help stricken families so that the older children did not have to take on too many responsibilities. Some sort of system to gift money to them.

His thoughts were shattered as the door to his room was thrown off its hinges. "Artie!" cried out Alfred as he strode in. He was merely wearing faded blue trousers and a loose white shirt. The shirt in question did not leave much to the imagination; the neck was supposed to be tied with some sort of string but it had been left undone. About half of Alfred's chest was showing – Arthur rolled his eyes at this lack of decency.

"What is it?" he asked, deciding not to comment on his attire. Larry surely would.

Grinning, Alfred rushed over and bounced onto the bed next to Arthur. The soon-to-be Queen realised that he was still in his nightshirt and tried hard not to blush, grateful he was under the covers. "We're going to Diamonds today!" he exclaimed, clapping his hands together. "I love going to sea! And it'll be so awesome with you there!"

This time, Arthur couldn't stop his face from heating up. "We- I... You are rather excitable today..." he managed to quietly say.

"Yup! C'mon! Get up already!" Alfred grabbed the bedclothes. Realising what he was about to do, Arthur gripped them tightly and held them up to his chin. The King pouted at his actions. "Come _on_!" he cried, pouting all the more.

Sighing, Arthur shook his head, smiling fondly. He was such a cheerful King. "Let me get dressed – I will meet you downstairs for breakfast."

"Aw, but-!"

"Alfred," said Arthur, pointedly, raising an eyebrow.

With a sigh, Alfred stood up. "You better not take too long," he said and darted from the room.

Hurriedly, Arthur emerged from the bed and closed the door again. He turned to the wardrobe and eyed it. Could he just wear whatever he chose? Would Larry scold him? Should he wear something as casual as Alfred?

Thinking of Alfred made him remember an earlier thought. Alfred was very cheerful and seemed to be happy-go-lucky. However, he still showed hurt from his parents' death. How would he react to the news about the assassination?

And would he be angry at Arthur's decision to keep it from him?

* * *

Arthur dressed similarly to Alfred except that he wore black trousers and a sky blue shirt, this one showing off very little of his chest. He bumped into a sleepy Matthew as he exited his room and fell into step beside him. The Jack was wearing the same style as Alfred except that his trousers were faded violet instead.

"Good morning, Matthew," said Arthur with a smile.

"Ah, good morning, my Queen," mumbled Matthew.

Frowning, Arthur tilted his head. "You seem tired – did you not have a good night's sleep?"

"Eh, not much of it," said Matthew with a grimace. "I had to make the final preparations for today."

"Why did you not ask for my help?!" exclaimed Arthur, his eyes wide. "I would have been more than willing to have stayed up longer to do so!"

Matthew smiled softly. "Yes but, had you done that, Alfred would have stayed awake and we would have got nothing done."

"I'm sure I could have sent him to bed."

"Yes, you probably could," said Matthew before biting his lip, looking amused.

Eyes narrowing, Arthur scowled. "What is that supposed to mean?"

"Artie!" cried a voice at the bottom of the stairs. They both looked down to see a bouncing King, hopping from foot to foot. The three guards who had accompanied Arthur were close to him and Larry was standing at the door, tapping his foot impatiently. "You're taking way too long!" Alfred continued, whining.

The two men reached the bottom and both of them shook their heads. "Really, Alfred," said Arthur. "A little patience wouldn't go amiss."

"But I wanna go already!" whined Alfred once again.

"Well, we are here now," said Arthur with a sigh. "Come along." And with that, he swept past Alfred and stalked to the doors. The King bounded after him until he was alongside his Queen.

Outside, there were two carriages. The first was the one Arthur had ridden in before. The other was a sparkling blue. Metal parts shone and the covered part seemed to change between different shades of blue. Arthur blinked, confused at that until Alfred explained that it was made from the special mineral which floated to the shores of the Kingdoms.

As Arthur drew closer, however, he realised why it was like that. He could feel the magic pulsating from it. Biting his lip, he ignored it – even if he was worried about how much influence the Joker had over it.

Alfred opened the door for Arthur, despite the footman hovering beside them, and the almost Queen climbed in. When he had settled himself, Alfred stepped in as well and closed the door. The others would travel in the other carriage, Arthur surmised. He turned to Alfred as the carriage set off.

"You should let the servants do that," he reprimanded the King.

Pulling a face, Alfred shook his head. "No way! I hate all that sort of stuff!"

"Look, as the King-"

"Stop it! You've told me this befo-!" Alfred broke off and his eyes widened. Alarmingly, he scowled and turned his head to stare out of the window. Arthur let the silence envelope them, not sure what to say or do. After all, he had no idea what Alfred had been talking about.

The carriage passed by streets and buildings he recognised. This time, on the familiar journey, he was aware of where he was. Sighing, he leaned out of the window, searching the streets. He wouldn't say so out loud but, if he could see a familiar crop of blonde hair and rather thick eyebrows, he would be immensely relieved.

"You reminded me of my father," said Alfred, suddenly, pulling Arthur's attention back into the interior of their vehicle. Royal eyes were watching him sadly. "He always said things like that." A shadow passed across Alfred's face before he smiled a little. "You gotta loosen up, dude."

"If you don't let the servants do their jobs," said Arthur, carefully, reasonably, "they will outlive their usefulness. Do you plan on raising the numbers of unemployed on the streets of this city? On the streets of all of Spades?"

Alfred's eyes widened and he glanced away, his cheeks red. After a brief silence where Arthur watched for his reaction, his face impassive, Alfred looked up at him again with a grin. "You're definitely gonna be the best Queen this country has ever had, Artie!"

It was Arthur's turn to blush as he returned his attention to the streets and the possibility of seeing his brother. Luckily enough, as it turned out.

Spotting a mop of blonde hair at the front of a growing crowd, Arthur stood as much as he could and leaned out. "Peter!" he called out.

"Jerk!" his brother replied in a shout. There was a grin on his face, however, and there was relief in his blue eyes.

"Are you well?!"

"Yeah! Hurry up and get back, big brother!"

"I will! Don't worry! I will definitely be back for you!"

And with that, they were too far away to hear each other. Arthur saw Peter wave, did likewise, and sat back in the carriage feeling much more relaxed than he had been beforehand. One of his worries had eased. The other...

"That was your bro?" asked Alfred, interestedly.

Arthur raised an eyebrow in an attempt to convey that it obviously was. "Yes," he said, just in case Alfred didn't understand.

The King smiled at him. "I can't wait to meet him properly!"

A wave of guilt hit Arthur. Just yesterday he had been trying to kill this man – and now he was excited to meet his brother. Not only that but he was keeping important information from him. Quickly, he looked out of the window again as he gritted his teeth.

Alfred may repeat himself on the matter of how good Arthur would be as Queen but he alone knew the truth. The Spades' future Queen was a liar, a cheat, a conspirator and, all in all, a horrible choice for Queen. As long as he kept this secret, he would be below par. He would bring the Kingdom of Spades down with his own inevitable fall.

This scared him and he shivered. Horrified at a display of his inner turmoil, he glanced up at his King. Alfred was frowning, worried. He opened his mouth to speak and Arthur opened his to hurriedly explain it away. However, with a slight jolt, the carriage halted and they both glanced out of the window to see the ship waiting for them. All the sailors were on board. They must have been taken on a longer route as the other carriage, which had left after them, was already there, their entourage waiting patiently for them.

For a moment, Arthur thought that Alfred would open the door again. However, this time, there was a rare show of patience on his part. He waited for the footman to open the door, all the while shaking his leg in pent-up energy. When the door was opened, he dashed out and rushed up to the ship, leaving Arthur alone.

The new Royal carefully alighted from the carriage, thanked the footman and driver and then calmly strolled towards the others who had been passed by the King. Inclining his head in greeting, he carried on and the others fell into step around him. A small smile flickered onto Arthur's face – these men were very efficient at their job.

However... Something was niggling at him. Surely they should be guarding the King as well? Did they think that Arthur could not take care of himself? Or were they aware of a threat on his person? And was all this because of what he had discovered? Because of the Joker? He scowled to himself momentarily before quickly forcing a blank expression onto his face. It would probably be better that they went unaware of his suspicions.

Finally, Arthur was on the ship, the same ship as before, the ship which had carried him across the ocean. The ship on which he had felt so free for a short period of time. Watching Alfred bounce around the deck as the ship set sail, the crew hurrying past the royals and their entourage, gave Arthur the impression that the King felt the same way. Perhaps, when they were at sea, his father had had less expectations of him. Here, maybe, the man had allowed Alfred to work amongst his people.

"Alfred loves sailing," said Matthew beside him, jolting Arthur from his thoughts. "But, really, I think he'd just prefer to turn into a bird and fly away." He glanced upwards and Arthur watched the seagulls whirling overhead, hoping for a morsel.

"I believe that the King and I may have something in common after all," sighed Arthur. He stepped over to the railing he had leaned on so many times before and watched his Kingdom slip away. Matthew seemed to understand that he wanted a moment to himself for the Jack quietly disappeared.

After a while of quiet contemplating, mostly about his discoveries, Arthur sensed a presence beside him and glanced around. Alfred was there, gazing back at Spades, a hand resting on the railing. When Arthur turned his head, he focused on him instead, grinning.

"You're not gonna throw me in again, are you?" he asked.

"Only if you are stupid enough to warrant it," answered Arthur swiftly, a smirk dancing on his face.

"Hm..." murmured Alfred. "Can you swim?"

Immediately, Arthur backed away from the railing. "Don't you dare!"

"What?" said Alfred, innocently. "I was only wondering."

"Hmph!"

"Arthur..." said Alfred in his best coaxing tone.

"Tsk! If you must know, I used to be employed to clean the ships of any muck. So, yes, I can. But I have never swam further than the harbour." Arthur's eyes flickered to the city fading into the distance.

"So, if I _did_ throw you overboard..." said Alfred, grinning teasingly.

"If you do that, I doubt I will be able to be this 'great' Queen you keep talking about," Arthur pointed out haughtily.

"Don't worry," Alfred reassured him with a brief laugh. "I won't put you in harm's way." And with that he disappeared, hurrying off to tackle his brother. Arthur blinked.

* * *

There were only three rooms. One was large and built to accommodate the three guards, Larry, the Jack and any other servants the Royals cared to bring along. Another was the captain's personal cabin. The third...

"No," said Arthur, firmly. "I will sleep with Matthew and the others." He folded his arms in the hope that Alfred would take that as a sign that the argument was over.

"But, Artie!" whined Alfred, obviously not taking the hint. "This is the Royal Cabin!"

"That is neither here nor there!" Arthur snapped. "I mean!" He gestured to the large double bed. "We simply cannot both sleep here – there is only one bed, for goodness' sake!"

"Sure we can!" cried Alfred and he crossed the room in two strides. With a slight jump he bounced onto the bed and rolled over to face Arthur. "See?" he said, gesturing at the space beside him. "Plenty of room!"

"Alfred," said Arthur with a warning tone. "I am not-"

A knock at the door stopped their argument. Turning, Arthur wrenched it open to find Matthew who was already wearing a simple white shirt and trousers. He was obviously ready for bed. "Is there anything else I can do for you?" he asked with a small smile.

"Yes," said Arthur immediately. However, before he could get out his request for a place to sleep in his room, Alfred was shouting over him.

"Nope!" Suddenly, Alfred was beside him, the King grabbing Arthur's arm. He pulled him back a little, out of the way. "We're all cool!" And, with that, the King slammed the door and locked it.

"Hey-!" Arthur began before seeing Alfred remove the key. Without looking, the King threw it over his shoulder, into the mess of his things. "What did you do that for?!" demanded Arthur. "How the hell are we supposed to get out of here in the morning?!"

"So you'll stay?" asked Alfred, smiling. It was a strange smile, not like his usual. Not triumphant, not a grin. Arthur was so shocked he didn't say or do anything and Alfred continued. "Well, we'll look for it in the morning. Don't worry about it. Besides, you'll be making trouble for Mattie and the others if you try to go to bed there. They've already made up their beds, y'know."

Arthur sighed, realising it was hopeless. "Fine. But you really should not have thrown it away."

"Yeah..." said Alfred, sheepishly. "Kinda went overboard there, huh?"

"Indeed. Now, I am going to change. Do not look."

"Dude, we're both guys-" began Alfred but Arthur cut him off with an intense glare. The King held up his hands in surrender. "Okay, okay. I won't look."

Once the taller man had closed his eyes _and_ turned away, Arthur hurriedly removed his shirt, trousers and boots and pulled on his nightshirt. It was a pastel blue and Arthur was none too fond of it. He rather preferred the one he had at home. Granted, it was a little short, but it was green and reminded of him of his garden on days that he had been too busy to look at it.

Finished, Arthur turned and found Alfred grinning at him. "You're wearing a dress," he said, his grin widening all the more.

"It's a nightshirt!" snapped Arthur, turning red from irritation and embarrassment. Calming himself, the short blonde turned to the bed. "I will get into bed first and close my eyes so that you can get changed. Goodnight, Alfred."

"Goodnight, Arthur," Alfred replied.

* * *

The following days were the happiest Arthur had ever been, despite his knowledge. He would push that to the back of his mind as he watched the smiling, grinning and laughing Alfred. Matthew was much more relaxed, as well. So Arthur had even more reason to resolve not to tell either of them. It would remain a secret.

Strangely enough, Alfred seemed to be awake before Arthur was. The soon-to-be Queen couldn't understand this but he never questioned the King. However, it was handy that he did – Arthur didn't have to wander around the room, half-asleep, whilst looking for the means of his escape that first morning.

Because of everyone's relaxed state, Arthur was soon learning more about the people he would be working with. For instance, he learnt that Matthew had a fondness of white teddy bears which could be found made in Clubs. When he was a child, his parents had taken the brothers to Wotata and he had discovered the sweet substance of maple syrup. As he said, he had 'never looked back'. He was kind and loyal and Arthur enjoyed discussing things like the gardens and the local fauna of the palace.

Riley was just as loud as when Arthur had first met him. Of course, he loved animals as well – though, he preferred the more dangerous kinds. His boisterous attitude, Arthur noticed, melded well with Alfred's. But their competitive streaks often ended with Arthur and Matthew saving them from the crew's wrath. Things like races and duels became a daily occurrence and it definitely wore Arthur down. However, it was fun and reminded Arthur of his own brothers.

Meanwhile, Charlie was just as loyal and quiet as Matthew. However, he could hold his own against Alfred and Riley and, sometimes, Arthur found himself yelling at the three of them. Charlie chattered about his home in Notinglewl. Apparently, he came from a family of shepherds and would detail with a trilling laugh about his time with the sheep.

Rajesh was a calm man and could often be found in the crow's nest. Arthur would climb up with food and other things whilst he was meditating. It was an exhilarating experience and his private conversations with the guard were enlightening. They also gave Arthur the strength he needed to keep his dreadful secrets.

Finally, Larry, it turned out, had a family in Donnol. He was generally so busy that he hardly had time for them but his small boys rejoiced in him coming home. A family man through and through, he was intent on buying presents for them all in the countries he was to visit. However, his love of clothes tended to overshadow his conversations about his family. Not that Arthur could blame him – after all, he spoke about his garden a lot more than Peter. That did not change the love he had for his family.

Although he learnt more about each of them, Arthur was careful to keep his distance from Alfred and the King seemed to think that Arthur knew enough about him. True, Arthur did already know he was childish, immature and rather oblivious. However, he was also strong, dependable, had a love for his people which was unrivalled, and enthusiastic. Really, he seemed to be Arthur's opposite – and that would serve the Kingdom well as their skill sets would compliment each other well. Arthur had no doubt that their kingdom would continue to flourish.

It seemed like no time at all that their life aboard the ship came to an abrupt halt as they found themselves sailing past the orange fields of Diamonds. They had finally reached their destination. Excited, Alfred hurried to the bow of the ship and hung over the railing. He called on Arthur who had been nearby and the young Spade moved to stand beside his King.

"Yes?" he asked.

"It's so awesome, ain't it?!" cried Alfred, turning to beam at Arthur.

Smiling fondly, Arthur nodded. "I thought so. Though, frankly, I still prefer Spades."

"And me?" The teasing smile on the King's face made Arthur sigh and roll his eyes.

"I suppose so."

"Hey!" Alfred pouted. "Don't sound so put out!"

"Well, you do not have to deal with you so I think I should be allowed to sound put out, don't you?" Arthur grinned teasingly and moved off, well aware that he was in danger of being hugged or worse.

* * *

Once again, the Diamonds had pulled out all the stops in their decorations. Once again, Arthur and his entourage were whisked to the palace. Once again, they were greeted by the three Royals. Of course, this time, Arthur had his own King and Jack with him and they all bowed and exchanged greetings.

Arthur's eyes flickered to Alfred as the Diamonds surveyed him. Of course, their faces were all blank but the Spade could tell that they were displeased with Alfred's attire. The King had flat out refused to wear anything fancy on the journey to the palace and was still in a simple shirt and trousers. Arthur shot an apologetic look at the other Royals. Yao seemed to see and sent him a look as if to say he was used to it.

"We shall see you to your chambers, Wáng Alfred," said Yao as he turned to lead them inside. "And to yours, Nǚwáng Arthur and Qiānjīndǐng Matthew."

Matthew nodded his appreciation as did Arthur but Alfred threw his arm around his fellow King's shoulders. "Thanks, man!" he exclaimed. "You always know just what to do!"

The soon-to-be Queen was aghast. How could Alfred act like this? Didn't he realise that this was a political situation? He had to restrain himself from voicing his anger at the man.

"Of course I do, Alfred," sighed Yao. "It is common courtesy, aru."

Alfred laughed loudly. "Yup! You're right there! Hey, Kiku! How're you?"

"I am quite well, Alfred-san," Kiku replied, politely. "And how are you, Arthur-san?"

"Oh!" said Arthur, surprised that he was being paid attention. "I... I am fine, thank you." He turned his attention to the Diamonds' Jack. "And how are you, Sun?" he asked.

"Fine," said the man.

"Are we gonna have dinner soon?" asked Alfred, eagerly. "I'm starving!"

"You are always hungry!" exclaimed Arthur in exasperation. "I swear," he added, turning to Kiku, "that was all he spoke about on the journey!"

The Diamond smiled softly. "There was no trouble getting here?"

"Oh, none at all," said Arthur, smiling back at the smaller man. "And, I must say, it is nice to be here once again. I did not expect to be here so soon." He left out the fact that he had not expected to be Queen when he had last visited.

"I am glad you are here," said Kiku. "Would you like to have some tea in the garden before dinner?"

"Ah! Yes, please!" Arthur replied, cheerfully. He turned away from the Diamond as he noticed they had ceased moving. Alfred was being unusually quiet, gazing at Arthur and Kiku. The Spade dismissed this and paid attention to Yao instead.

"This is where the Spades' Royals shall be staying," he explained, opening the door. Inside was merely a platform similar to the one Arthur had slept on during his initial visit. He remembered, briefly, that families sharing a sleeping space was a common occurrence in Diamonds. It was culturally different from home where, although he had once had to share a room, there had always been separate beds. However, Arthur was not sure he wanted to share with Alfred and Matthew – he barely knew the brothers. Surveying the room, he realised he could sleep at one end whilst the brothers slept at the other. All would be well, he decided.

"Thank you," Arthur politely said to Yao since neither Alfred nor Matthew seemed inclined to say anything.

"Nǐ shuō de hěn shòu huānyíng de." The King of Diamonds paused before glancing between Arthur and Alfred. "May I speak with you, King Alfred, Queen Arthur?"

Before Arthur could protest that he wasn't e _xactly_ Queen yet, Alfred excitedly said, "Sure!"

"Follow me," said Yao, guiding them back the way they had come.

Arthur glanced at Kiku. The soon-to-be Queen of Diamonds looked worried for a moment before he smiled pleasantly at Arthur. "I shall meet you in the garden after you have finished your business."

"Yes, of course," said Arthur and followed after the Kings.

Behind him, he was sure he heard Jack Sun say, "Who are you?"

A sigh carried its way along the hall. "I'm Matthew. The Jack of Spades. It's nice to finally meet you."

* * *

The silence in the study was stifling and Arthur longed to be able to squirm in his seat. However, Yao was staring at them both and he refused to show how uncomfortable he was. What on Earth did he wish to speak to them about?

Of course, Alfred could not sit for long in this silence and he began to speak. He chattered on about what he was most looking forward to at the Diamonds' celebrations, talked at length about his own coronation and told of their adventures at sea. Finally, Yao stopped him by sitting up straighter and opening his mouth. Alfred ceased his epic of one of his and Riley's duels and eyed him as warily as Arthur.

"I feel we must discuss what happened in your Kingdom, Alfred," he said, his gaze fixed upon Arthur.

Green eyes met blue momentarily. They hadn't really spoken about that. In fact, Alfred seemed to have forgiven him as soon as he had accepted being his Queen. But this did not stop the King and Queen of Diamonds from holding a grudge.

Deciding it would be prudent to offer an official apology, Arthur straightened his back. "King Yao, I am deeply sorry for my part in that. I humbly ask for your forgiveness. However, I will not blame you if you continue to hold a grudge against me."

"C'mon, Yao!" interjected Alfred. "He's such a nice guy – you just gotta forgive him!"

With a roll of his eyes, Yao sighed. "I am not going to hold a grudge, aru. The only reason I am bringing it up is to ascertain that I have not told anyone. Not even Jack Sun is aware of what happened. We will never speak of this again." Arthur relaxed and nodded, smiling a little in relief. The relief was short-lived, however, as a thought occurred to him. Alfred, meanwhile, let out a whoop of joy and thrust a fist into the air. "That was all I wanted to speak about."

The two Spades rose. Arthur bowed and Alfred grinned down at the other King. "Hey! Can I have some food now?"

Yao chuckled. "Shì. I will be out in a moment." He gestured to the door and Arthur once again bowed and exited, Alfred following excitedly.

"Yay!" he said as soon as the door was closed behind them. "He makes awesome food, you know!"

Arthur sighed and rolled his eyes. "He is also going to hold that incident over our heads for the rest of our lives."

"What?"

"Weren't you listening?" Arthur sighed once again. "Only he and Kiku know so, should we do anything to displease him, he could very well tell the rest of the world. I would instantly fall out of favour – if I am in favour with anyone – and our Kingdom could come crashing down around us." He gave the bewildered Alfred a stern glance. "You would do well to keep him happy."

"Aw, no way!" said Alfred, grinning. "Yao's cool."

Shaking his head, Arthur began to walk along the corridor. "You are so naïve."

* * *

In the garden, Arthur quietly remembered the last time he had been here. It had been rather crowded with the Diamond Royals and his knights and tailor around. Now, however, it was peaceful, Kiku quietly sipping his tea.

Flashing a guilty look his way, Arthur noted that Kiku was gazing back, smiling ever so slightly. Remembering the last time they had seen each other, Arthur heated up and looked down at the table. "I... I am terribly sorry for my actions," he sighed to his tea.

"I do not blame you, Arthur-san," said the Diamond, placing his cup on the table.

"You... do not?" asked Arthur, rather astonished.

"Chigau. When I noticed my marks, I was terrified. Not, perhaps, to the extent that you were. I shut myself in my room and refused to answer my parents. Now, though... I think we both know that it is not so bad." The small smile grew ever so slightly.

Nodding, Arthur smiled back. "I felt like I was all alone in the world. Thank you, Kiku."

"That is what friends are for, Arthur..." There was a pause as Arthur looked up at him, wondering where the 'san' had gone. "Arthur-kun," he said, finally.

Feeling as though he had grown closer to the man with the change in that simple suffix, Arthur smiled wider than he had done so before towards Kiku. They began to chatter about their expected Queenly duties amongst their talk of tea and gardens.

* * *

The other Royals were in the process of arriving and, already dressed for dinner, Arthur avoided them by wandering the palace. Alfred was busy greeting his old friends and Matthew was with him, if a little ignored. Meanwhile, Arthur had remembered what had occurred in the Kingdom of Hearts and was not looking forward to seeing their King again. Luckily, Yao and Kiku had told him it was not required of him to greet them.

And that was why he was walking along bare corridors, relishing the calm. With all the rushing from Kingdom to Kingdom and the travelling and his abrupt decision, Arthur felt as though he had not had a moment's peace. Now, however, he could feel as though he had some semblance of control of his situation.

There was movement ahead and Arthur looked up, startled to see Mei entering a room a few doors from him. She didn't seem to see him as she hurried in, a grim expression on her face, her yellow dress rustling. Unsettled, Arthur hurried forward and knocked gently on the door. It was only a short pause before it was opened and Mei peeked out. Her dark eyes alighted on him and she smiled.

"Your Majesty," she said. "What are you doing here?"

"Ah, I was just..." Arthur trailed off. "You looked upset – I was wondering if you are all right?"

Mei's smile faltered. "Well. It is just..." Someone spoke in the room and Mei turned to look before nodding. "Would you like to come in?"

Unsure whether it was a girls' room or not, Arthur blushed slightly and shook his head. "Oh, no. If you are well, then-"

"Please come in," insisted Mei, moving back and holding the door open.

Still rather hesitant, Arthur stepped inside. The room was lit by candles, revealing a thin, red carpet. Walls of a light shade of red reflected the light and the saffron curtains blocked the sun. There was no furniture except for an expansive bed, the covers a light pink to contrast the darkness of the room.

A woman lay there. If Arthur looked closely, he could see Yao's eyes and Mei's hair, an errant curl lying across the pillow. However, her face was drawn and her cheekbones clearly defined. Her skin appeared thin and Arthur could see her chest, safely below the covers, struggling to rise and fall. With lidded eyes, she examined Arthur in turn and he suddenly felt self-conscious.

Her eyes ran over his navy waistcoat and his royal trousers. His polished shoes flashed as the candles' light flickered. Of course, his hair was combed as best he could and he had been given a Spade necklace. Arthur bit his lip and waited for the woman to speak.

"Nǐ hǎo," she said in a rasping voice. "You seem to be a handsome man. And kind, as well, to worry about my daughter. Come here." Her words ended on a sigh.

Drawing closer, Arthur stood beside the bed. She gestured and Arthur gently sat on the very edge of the bed. Mei's mother then drew a long, stick-like arm from under the covers and grasped his hand. They sat like that for some time, their breaths filling the silence. Finally, she spoke again, her voice no more than a whisper.

"You are to be the Queen of Spades. And I wish you every luck in the world – but be careful."

"I know," replied Arthur, heavily, and the woman turned her head to look at him. Nodding, she seemed to understand that he knew more than he was prepared to share.

"Then I hope you will look out for my family. We Kingdoms are not the only people in the world. And those that are... forgotten... still... wish us... harm..." The woman's breathing became more laboured and Mei stepped forward.

"Māma, you must rest now." The girl looked at Arthur pointedly and he nodded and stood. Exiting the room, he found Mei had followed. She gazed at him as though waiting for him to speak. After thinking about what he should say and what he wanted to know, he finally caved to his curiosity.

"How long has she-?"

"Since before her abdication. The stress made it worse. Now that she can forget about the troubles of her Kingdom, she no longer wills herself to survive. It will only be a matter of time." Mei paused before smiling slightly. "She would have died months ago. I am just glad that we have the time to say zàijiàn."

Frowning, Arthur murmured another question. "So she would have died if it had not been for our Royalty's death?"

With a shrug, Mei said, "Perhaps. Now, I believe you have a dinner to attend. It should be about time."

"Ah, yes. Thank you." Arthur paused before he turned away. "I hope your days will be filled with peace."

* * *

Dinner with the four Royal families was rather tense. The Kings had been sat together at one end of the table, the Queens in the middle and the Jacks at the opposite end. Natalya was griping about being away from her brother. Ivan kept his stare well away from her and instead trained it on Yao who shifted uncomfortably. Francis kept leering at Arthur who tried really hard not to look at him whilst also trying not to look at the nearby Elizaveta who kept asking about how he and Alfred were getting on. Kiku even looked interested at this topic and Arthur had to eat with a red face. The Jacks seemed to be the only people actually having a normal and pleasant conversation as they exchanged stories from their homes.

And Alfred. The King of Spades was oblivious to the tension and continued to eat and talk, sometimes at the same time. Arthur scolded him often and, sometimes, even appealed to Matthew for help. The Jack's glare managed to stop Alfred for a minute or so before he forgot the warning and the cycle began again.

Frankly, by the end of it, Arthur was relieved to be going to bed. It was rather late, after all, and they all had to rise early for the coronation. From what he had been told, they would have an early afternoon coronation after the Diamonds had been paraded through their capital. In the evening would be another dinner, this time with Yao's family – with the exception of his sick mother – followed by a ball with the nobles of Diamonds. Arthur was glad that, once upon a time, he had had his knowledge of dancing refreshed.

Unfortunately, Arthur was not allowed to retreat to the Spades' room in peace. With the others filing out, he had politely waited until his fellow Queens had exited. The Jacks had already left and Alfred and Ivan, apparently not caring for manners, had already disappeared through the doors. Yao had left via a different door, apparently to check on the preparations for tomorrow. Which left Arthur alone in the room with Francis.

In an effort to pretend he had not noticed, Arthur briskly strode to the doors. But Francis' legs were longer and he had obviously been prepared for Arthur's escape. He barred Arthur's exit as he smiled down at him. "Ah, Arthur. I have been wanting to talk with you since I arrived." Scowling, Arthur tried to sidestep him. Francis stepped with him and he was blocked once again. "I sincerely hope that you are not still angry at me?"

"Of course I am!" snapped Arthur. "Now, kindly move aside. Otherwise, I will be forced to-"

Instead of doing as he wished, Francis stepped forward, catching his wrist. Arthur gasped and tried to back away. But the King's grip was stronger than he thought and he found his arm raised, his hand moving closer to Francis' lips. With a sharp pull, Arthur managed to make Francis stumble, his hand moving away from that treacherous mouth. He stepped to the side, still caught by the man, but kept pulling away from him in sudden jerks, turning them around as he did so until his back was to the exit.

"Let me go!" he snarled.

"Now, chéri," said Francis, placatingly. "I was only attempting to gain forgiveness."

"By trying to kiss me?"

As Arthur glared at him, he noticed Francis grow sheepish. "I... Desolé. I thought that a loving approach would help."

"Well, it does not!"

"I am sorry. S'il vous plait, forgive me."

"Hmph! I think not! Now unhand me!"

But Francis ignored him and pulled him closer. Caught unawares, Arthur stumbled forwards till he was against the other man's chest. "Mais... I have rather grown fond of you. For a while, I wished for you to be mine- I am sorry, I meant, for you to be... my Queen."

"What is wrong with you?!" exclaimed Arthur, struggling once again. "Let go!"

As he beat the man's chest with his fists, Arthur heard him say. "Mais... Je t'ai-"

Suddenly, Arthur felt another pair of arms wrap around his waist. He gasped, cutting off Francis' words. The grip on him was strong and he was pulled backwards until he hit the other's chest. Alarmed, he tilted his head backwards to see a chin. Annoyed that he couldn't see, he began to speculate. Was it Riley? Or Charlie? Perhaps Rajesh?

"Hey!" A voice he recognised. "Cut it out, Francis!" Alfred demanded. "You're supposed to be my friend."

"I am, I assure you," said Francis, calmly. For a moment, he looked a little put out. Then his eyes raked over Arthur and Alfred, almost hungrily. A smile tugged at his lips and the smaller Spade fumed – did he find this funny?

"Stop messing with us, then!" Alfred continued. One of his arms moved and his hand was at Arthur's collar. Before he could protest, Alfred had pulled it down to show the Mark of Spades. "He's my Queen so stop hitting on him, already!"

Red-faced, Arthur wriggled from Alfred's grasp. "What do you think you are doing?!" he cried. Alfred flinched and opened his mouth. But Arthur didn't care to hear what he had to say, turning from them and storming out of the room.

* * *

After walking round the entire palace once to calm himself, Arthur returned to his room to find Matthew and Alfred sitting on the platform, waiting for him. The King made to stand but Matthew beat him to it. "Are you all right, Arthur?" he asked, gently.

"Yes, I am fine," responded Arthur, glancing away from them. He felt rather embarrassed considering they thought that he was upset. His temper had got the best of him but he had actually been relieved that Alfred had come to his rescue. "Shall we get ready for bed," he added, to try to move past the previous incident.

Alfred spoke up. "I'm sorry, Arthur. I... I didn't think. I just... Well, he had no right to treat you like that!" Arthur looked up at him in shock to find him staring at his clasped hands, a guilty expression upon his face. This swiftly changed to a pleading one as he raised his eyes to Arthur's. "I just wanted to protect you!"

Flushing, Arthur moved to his trunk to find his nightshirt. "Well... I understand... You just shocked me, Alfred. Now, we have a busy day tomorrow – let us sleep."

Once they had all gotten ready (Arthur in his nightshirt, Matthew in his pyjamas and Alfred stripped down to just his undergarments), they all settled down on the wooden platform. Arthur pointedly left space between the brothers and himself and rolled away from them, intent on sleeping. After a few minutes, an obviously exhausted Matthew could be heard breathing deeply in his sleep.

"Hey, why are you so far away?" Alfred's voice cut through the night, startling Arthur. The small Spade began to turn around only to stop halfway as his King's arm wrapped around him and pulled him closer.

"Ah!" exclaimed Arthur. When Matthew snorted and rolled over in his sleep, Arthur lowered his voice and hissed, "What are you doing?!"

"You're too far away. I don't bite!" In the gloom, Arthur could just make out Alfred grinning.

With a sigh, Arthur decided to reply to his question. "I thought I should leave you two alone. You are brothers, after all. I speculated you would be much more used to being in a room together than I am of being in a room with you."

"Well, yeah. But we've never really shared a room. Besides," Alfred added, pulling Arthur even closer, "we're all gonna have to get along. If we can sleep together, we can rule a Kingdom together, right? And, anyway, we've already shared a bed, right?"

"You're insuffer-" Arthur began to sigh but he was interrupted by Alfred.

"Anyway, weren't you lonely by yourself?" he murmured, sleepily.

Finally, Alfred fell asleep as Arthur blushed at his King's concern. Because, yes, he _had_ felt rather lonely. With his magic and his concealed knowledge, he felt that there was a wall between him and everyone else once again...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Original A/N:  
> Abeyance means to withhold information and I figured this'd be appropriate, y'know?
> 
> Nǐ shuō de hěn shòu huānyíng de. = You are quite welcome.
> 
> I included the bit about Peter cause I felt it was too cruel to not let Arthur at least see him after everything. Also, he has a lot to worry about.


	10. Ordonnance

Arthur was woken by Matthew who quickly put a finger to his lips in a request for silence. Nodding, Arthur sat up, noticing as he did so that Alfred still had an arm wrapped around his waist. The King was sleeping peacefully beside him and Arthur gently removed his arm. Matthew gestured to the door and the two of them exited as silently as possible.

"Is there something wrong?" asked Arthur once the door was closed.

"No, it's just..." Matthew sighed and ran a hand through his hair. "Well, all the Royals have been given the invitation to go to a bath."

"Hm?" Arthur hummed, hoping this questioning sound would reveal the source of Matthew's distress. After all, what was so secretive about a bath?

"It's a communal bath."

"Ah."

"So I made sure that I waited till Francis had left before I woke you. I'm a little worried about dragging Alfred in with others, too."

"Why?" asked Arthur, glancing at the door.

"Last time we had a bath together, it ended in a wrestling match," explained Matthew with a wince.

"I see. So you are going to wait until everyone else is done?"

"Yeah. Would you like to join me? It's in a hot spring which Yao dug into specifically for his Queen. There's a changing room nearby, too – Larry will be waiting for us when we get out. I'll send one of our guards to wake Alfred then."

"That sounds delightful," agreed Arthur and followed Matthew along the corridors.

As they walked, Arthur noted that there were no servants going to and fro. For this he was grateful: he was still in his nightshirt, after all, and it would be embarrassing if anyone were to see. Matthew explained that he had specifically requested for the corridors which ran to the bath to be devoid of anyone. Arthur gave him his thanks as they reached the bath area.

Kiku was there and smiled at both of them, fully dressed in one of his robes. "Konnichiwa, Matthew-san, Arthur-kun. I am here to help you through the process of taking a bath in an onsen."

"There's a process?" asked Arthur in surprise.

"Hai. Please, come this way."

They followed him out of the palace. The section of the garden they entered was walled off and a large, steaming pool was directly in front of them. Huge rocks surrounded it, as if to keep the water in place. Off to the left, the palace turned the corner, forming an L shape. Another door was on that stretch of the building. Kiku explained that they would go there afterwards, for Larry to give them their clothes for the ceremony. To the right was a wooden structure which all three of them entered.

Inside were some wash basins and a pile of towels. A small gathering of wooden buckets sat nearby. Blocks of soap were placed in a small, china bowl and also placed out of the way.

Together, they washed themselves with only water using the cloths Kiku provided. At first, Arthur was a little reluctant to get undressed. However, once both Kiku and Matthew had fearlessly removed their own garments, Arthur slipped the nightshirt from his head and placed it in one of the buckets. He accepted a towel from Kiku and quickly wrapped it around his waist. They exited the rooms and made their way back to the bath. Both Kiku and Matthew confidently entered. Arthur joined them a little slower, rather nervous at how hot the water appeared. Once in, they settled themselves and Arthur found himself relaxing a lot more than he had for the previous weeks.

"Arthur-kun," said a hesitant-sounding Kiku.

"Yes?" he murmured, his eyes closed.

"Are you nervous about being crowned?"

Blinking, Arthur glanced at his friend. The poor man was staring down at the water, though this was the only indication he was unsettled: his expression remained as hard to figure out as before. In all honesty, what with everything else that had happened, he was not nervous at all. Actually, being crowned would be a relief. He was sure he could get to the bottom of the assassination – if, indeed, that had been what it was – quicker when he had the might of the Royals firmly behind him.

"I am sure you will be fine, Kiku," replied Arthur with an encouraging smile. "And you will make a fine Queen."

"Arthur's right," Matthew piped up. "You two are going to be great. So will Elizaveta and Natalya, in their own ways." He smiled at them both and the soon-to-be Queens returned it, placated for now.

The rest of the bath went by far too quickly for Arthur's liking. He wanted to stay in the water for the rest of the day, though Kiku said that would be too dangerous. The Diamond also insisted that they all emerged after some time to wash themselves with the soap before returning to the relaxing waters. Finally, they had to emerge completely and, with towels wrapped round their waists, Matthew and Arthur entered the room where Larry was waiting. Kiku stayed behind to talk Alfred through the bath before he, too, would get himself clothed.

Larry separated them both and, behind screens, Arthur pulled on his formal clothing. For some reason, everything was made from a shining silk. There were dark blue trousers and a lighter shirt with long sleeves. A Spade brooch clasped a cloak lined with soft, white fur, Spades stamped into it, around his neck. Soft, navy shoes were slipped on his feet.

After thanking Larry, Arthur joined Matthew to leave the room. The Jack was wearing much the same as Arthur except that he had a circlet of bronze around his head. He nodded at Arthur. "You do suit Royal garb, Arthur," he told the Queen with a fond smile.

Clearing his throat, Arthur inclined his head. "Yes, well. Thank you."

They exited the room to find Alfred along the corridor, yawning. Spotting them, he hurried forwards, frowning a little. "What the heck, guys! Why'd you leave me behind?!"

"Need I remind you?" asked Matthew, flashing a grin at Alfred.

"That was one time! I wasn't gonna do it this time!"

"I'm sure you wouldn't," replied Matthew, smirking a little.

Alfred rolled his eyes. "Well, _now_ I'm gonna go for _my_ bath. I've heard Yao got rid of the old ones. So a whole set of new rules." He pulled a face.

"It's not so hard," said Matthew.

"Yeah, well, I'll see you both later, right?"

"Of course," said Arthur with an amused smile and they parted ways.

* * *

The ceremony took place in the Diamond's throne room. All of the nobles attended, as well as Yao's extended family (except for his mother). They filled the room, chattering as they waited for their monarchs. The other Royals stood in the back on a hastily-built, slightly raised platform. Everyone was wearing silk in varying colours.

Somewhere, someone hit a gong, the sound reverberating through the room. Instantly, everyone stilled bar Alfred who continued to fidget, shifting his weight from foot to foot and scratching at the skin just below his gold circlet. Arthur whacked him, hoping he would stop. A small whine issued forth from his King and he chanced a second's glare at him before returning his gaze to the front of the room where the three Diamond Royals had entered. They walked along the floor and stood before their thrones, Yao's being the most elaborate and Sun's being the least.

Their clothes were impressive. Yao was wearing a bright orange pair of breeches which seemed to glitter in the light. Perhaps real diamonds had been sewn into the material. His shirt had long sleeves, the ends wide, as though they were designed for him to hide his hands.

Kiku's robe was a softer orange. The tie keeping it closed had diamonds embedded in it and the light reflected off them, creating interesting shapes on the walls when he moved. His Diamond mark was clear for everyone to see.

Lastly, Sun was in exactly the same outfit as Arthur had seen before. Nothing glittered on his outfit. Arthur reasoned that the Jack, with the least authority, was not given any expensive clothing. Or, perhaps, he had refused. His comb had been removed, though.

A man in robes of white, the sleeves so huge that it looked as though the man had simply been wrapped in cloth, stepped forward. He inclined his head to the Royals, the white strap holding his black hat to him. He turned from them again, a small boy stepping forward, a cushion in his hands. On it was the Ace of Diamonds.

It was a rather unassuming thing. Merely a necklace. Yet it held so much power. The pendant was attached to a slim, silver chain which was long enough to put over anyone's head. It was a Diamond shape, made from an orange gemstone which Arthur had never seen before. He wasn't sure where in Diamonds it was mined from but he was sure that it was not readily available in the other countries.

The robed man – who must have been a priest – lifted the necklace reverentially and the boy backed off. Firstly, he stepped up to Sun and placed the pendant round his neck. Then he began his speech, which was, unfortunately, in the language of Diamonds, so Arthur had no idea what it meant. He tried to pick out words, though, trying his hardest to understand.

"Shén kànjiàn shìhé yú nǐ cìyǔ zhè yī róngyù. Nǐ shì yào jiānchí nǐ de lìchǎng de chuántǒng hé zhízé, bìng bǎochí yùnxíng guójiā de? Nǐ fāshì yào yǒngyuǎn rènwéi guójiā hé nǐ zìjǐ hé nǐ de xìngfú zhīqián, bǎ nǐ de guójiā ma? Nǐ dāyìng bāngmáng zhuànqián, wèi guójiā, qiě jǐn yòng yú gāi zǎ bàn?"

"Wǒ zuò de," replied Sun.

Inclining his head, the priest removed the Ace and moved along to Kiku, placing it around his neck. There, he repeated his speech. Kiku replied with, "Watashi yaru."

Once again, the Ace was removed and the priest moved to Yao. Placing it around his neck, he said the exact same words. Yao bowed his head respectfully and said, " Wǒ zuò de."

With that, the priest stepped back and bowed low, leaving the pendant around Yao's neck. Then he turned to the room and, standing tall, he raised his arms. "Allow me to present the Royalty of Diamonds: King Yao, Queen Kiku and Jack Sun!"

As one, the room bowed low. Glancing at the others, Arthur noticed that the fellow Royalty only bowed their heads so he followed suit. When they straightened back up, Alfred gave a whoop of joy, his fist launching into the air. Arthur shook his head and made eye contact with Kiku. The new Queen looked relieved and was smiling a little.

Arthur smiled back.

* * *

Afterwards, the other Royals still to be crowned made their way through to a reception room where they congratulated the new Royals. Arthur shook their hands in order of rank from lowest to highest before drifting back to Kiku so he could talk to him. It wasn't long before Alfred and Matthew appeared at his elbows, interrupting their discussion about how it had felt to wear the Ace.

"Will you be staying for the meal?" asked Queen Kiku, once he had greeted the other two.

"Definitely!" exclaimed Alfred. Matthew coughed and raised his eyebrows pointedly at his brother when the man turned to him. With a sigh, Alfred turned back to Kiku. "Damn. Sorry, no. We gotta get going. Travelling by ship is so time-consuming. Wish we could have food, though," he added with a pout directed at his Jack.

Sighing, Arthur rolled his eyes. "I believe this is where we part ways, Your Majesty. We shall see you in Clubs, though."

"Hai, Arthur-kun," replied the Queen, bowing politely. "Please, have a safe journey."

"Enjoy your day," said Arthur. "Perhaps we can return here after the coronations so that Alfred can get his food and I can enjoy more of your tea."

"Certainly. I look forward to it."

They smiled to each other and bowed. Kiku then turned to his Royals and the nobles who all wanted to speak with him. Arthur turned to Matthew and Alfred. The other two Spades grinned at each other for a moment before Matthew grabbed Alfred's arm and pulled him away towards where Larry and their guards waited.

"Ah, c'mon, Mattie! Let me go! I can walk on my own!" whined Alfred.

"Yes, but I'd rather you didn't walk in the direction of the dining room," replied Matthew, smoothly. "Like you said, my King, sailing is quite time-consuming."

"Mattie!" Alfred wailed. "You're so mean! Why can't we get a carriage, too? Then we can totally stay for food _and_ leave with everyone else!"

Arthur breathed deeply through his nose and released a sigh. It was going to be a long trip back to the ship.

* * *

"You seem to be getting on with Kiku," said Alfred once they were on the ship, watching Diamonds pass by once again.

"He is a good man. I have no doubt that he is sincere in everything he does."

"So, you've made a friend."

With a glance at his King, Arthur smiled. "I suppose I have."

"That's good," said Alfred, though he seemed a little unsure.

"Sun is quite a nice person, as well," Arthur said, ignoring the King's tone. "And I suppose I could get along with Yao eventually. If I have the time to conduct longer conversations with them, perhaps I could come into favourable terms with them."

"Yeah..." mumbled Alfred, frowning a little. Then he brightened and said, "Well, it's certainly good for the Kingdom, right?"

"Indeed," agreed Arthur.

"Time for food!" Alfred suddenly declared and hurried off. Arthur shook his head as he watched him off. Then he turned to the water and wondered about things which still weighed him down: the secret, Peter, the curse...

* * *

It took a week to get to Clubs. Apparently, it was tradition for the Royals to 'race' each other to the capitals. Sometimes, if the winds were right, the Spades' ship would arrive first. If not, the landlocked Royals could travel through the mountains of Diamonds and the perilous lands of Clubs faster. (The 'race' from Clubs to Hearts was usually lost by the Spades, since the lands of Hearts were easier to traverse, though they would always win the race from there to Donnol.)

Their travel from the harbour town to Wooscm was uneventful, although Arthur noted that the road had less people on it. He wondered why but decided he didn't want the answer. After all, from what he knew of the Clubs' dealings, it would not be a pleasant answer.

When they finally arrived, bundled in all of their blue furs, the Royals of Clubs were waiting. Ivan smiled at them as they emerged from the carriage. Toris also smiled at them, though it was a small one. Natalya didn't bother to be pleasant, glaring at Arthur and Alfred.

"Hiya, Ivan!" said Alfred, cheerily, despite the cold. "Good to see you again!"

"Da. You are the last to arrive."

"Aw, nuts," sighed Alfred. "Oh, well, always next time, right?" He grinned. "You gonna show us to our rooms?"

"Da, follow me," agreed Ivan, turning from them and starting up the steps.

"Sveiki, everyone," said Toris as they followed. "It is good to see you all again. We have entertainment arranged for this evening and, of course, the ceremony will take place in the morning."

Arthur, who had been watching Alfred and Ivan interact rather warily, turned towards the Jack at this. "Will it be more of the same as last time?" he inquired.

Toris grimaced and shook his head. "We have actors here – there will be a play."

"Oh?" asked Arthur, interested.

"I think that they are performing 'Prinsessen af Spades'."

"What is that about?"

"You do not know it?" Toris sounded surprised. "I would have thought you would have seen that performed in Spades by now. It is a very famous play in Clubs."

"That is rather odd," murmured Arthur, frowning as they came to a stop at a door.

"This is Alfred's room," explained Ivan.

"We get separate rooms?" asked Alfred, looking upset.

"Da. Unless you would-"

"No!" cried Arthur. He cleared his throat as everyone looked at him. "I mean, we do not want to inconvenience you, so we will sleep in the rooms you have prepared."

Ivan inclined his head. "Spasibo. I shall show you two to your rooms now."

Arthur and Matthew followed Ivan, leaving Alfred to go into his. Looking over his shoulder, Arthur noticed Alfred looking a little down, though he brightened when he noticed Arthur looking. The young Spade smiled, waved and entered his own room. Biting his lip, Arthur wondered if he would be okay in Clubs.

* * *

After he had been shown to his room, Arthur slipped out before Alfred could find him. Seeing the young man in Clubs was putting a strain on his determination to keep silent. At some point he had to tell him. But now would be an awful time. Yet, just being in the country made him feel tense and, knowing Alfred, he would continue to bleat on at him about being happier until he finally snapped. So he needed to be alone – and he knew just where to go. It was where he always went when he wanted to hide from people.

The sunflowers looked as cheerful as usual, smiling down at the troubled Spade as he slipped into the encased garden. He missed his roses, though. They always seemed to help him relax, seeing their beauty. He smiled back at the flowers, though, checking for weeds and surreptitiously using his magic to get rid of any.

Finally, he came upon the water feature and found that he was not alone. Two, tall people were standing there, staring blankly at the fountain. Their cold, grey eyes turned to him when he froze, gazing wide-eyed at them. The former King and Queen glared back, haughtily.

"I see you are back," said Ivan's mother with a sniff.

"Your Majesties," Arthur managed to force out, bowing low. He quickly straightened, though. Arthur wasn't sure he trusted them.

"We will take our leave," said Ivan's father. They stepped around the fountain and began to move away.

"Wait!" cried Arthur. This was an opportunity to find out the truth. To find out what had happened to Alfred's parents. The reasons behind the assassination were in his grasp and he need only reach out and grab it.

If he dared.

The former King looked him up and down before whispering something to his wife. With a brisk nod, the woman brushed past Arthur. He let her go, more interested in the King than the Queen. After all, _he_ was the one who had ordered it done. The King beckoned to him and they stepped behind the fountain to hide themselves from those who would enter the garden whilst they spoke.

"I want to ask you about something I discovered," Arthur began.

"Are you demanding I answer?" asked the tall man, drawing himself up and glaring down at the Spade. Arthur flinched and broke eye contact for a moment before turning his own narrowed eyes back to the old man. His companion let out a huff of breath. "Or are you requesting?"

Arthur chose his words carefully. "Your Majesty, I merely want to inquire as to why something happened. It is very important to both me and the future of our countries."

"And what is it you are inquiring about?"

"An assassination." Arthur let the words hang as he surveyed the grey-haired man. Something flickered within his eyes and he briefly glanced away. It was then that Arthur knew he would get his answers – the man's guilt surrounded him. "The assassination of the former King and Queen of Spades, King Alfred's parents. One which you had a hand in."

"The Joker is stirring up trouble, da?" sighed the man, returning his gaze to Arthur, the harshness of his expression now softened.

"He may have told me about this but it is true, yes?"

"Da."

"Why?!" cried Arthur, losing his composure for a moment. "Why would you kill them? Why would you _want_ to abdicate? You knew you would have to step down so... why?"

Grey eyes found his and the man said something Arthur had not expected. "For my children and for my country."

"What?"

"Our country was struggling economically. If it continued, my children would be in the midst of war before they inherited our kingdom. I could not let that happen."

Arthur's eyebrows scrunched together in confusion. "But... I don't understand. How did killing them solve your problems?"

"Money," was the answer.

"Wait. Do you mean...? Did someone _pay_ you to assassinate the King and Queen?!"

Those grey eyes surveyed him, taking in his shocked expression. "Da," he said, finally, as though he had reached a decision. "Do you want to know who?"

"Yes," breathed Arthur, his green eyes still wide.

"The King of Diamonds was one."

"What?! Why-?" Arthur stopped, the things he had learned about the Queen of Diamonds returning to him in a flash. The ill and frail Queen determined to survive, determined not to be blamed for a change of government. If the King loved her as much as he seemed to, perhaps he would consider assassinating someone else to relieve her stress. But he paid the Clubs instead of doing it himself – perhaps so that the trail led there.

How could he think that was a wise thing to do? The war it could prompt if people knew would be catastrophic. It would harm all of their countries, if not from the battles themselves, then from the damage it would do to their economies. The lands could become inhospitable. It would be chaos.

Chaos, just like the Joker wanted.

And that was when Arthur knew why he had been shown the truth. He was to be the catalyst for a war to satisfy Gilbert's sadistic entertainment requirements. Gritting his teeth, Arthur decided he would fix this. There was no way he could tell Alfred. He would have to talk to the former King of Diamonds and-

Arthur's train of thought stopped. The King of Diamonds could not have paid the King of Clubs enough to fix their economy. But, if two different sources of income were given to Clubs on a shadowy platter, it may have been possible. And he had said that he was 'one'...

"Who... Who was the other?" he finally asked, his voice catching slightly as he fought to stay calm.

"I see that you are wise, if you can keep as calm as you are, " said the man before him. "Perhaps my wife and I underestimated you."

"The other person?" repeated Arthur, firmly.

Inclining his head slightly, Ivan's father said, "The King and Queen of Hearts."

Once again, Arthur's mind reeled. Why would they want them dead? The Kingdoms were all on fairly good relations, especially Hearts and Spades. So why would Alfred's parents' closest friends want them dead? What was their reason?

He would have to get to the bottom of this. When he went to Hearts, he fully intended to have a long talk with the former King and Queen.

However, he had one more question. "How exactly did they die?"

"The assassin posed as a Slade who swore loyalty to the King and Queen of Spades. He was a good sailor so they put him on their ship. They were killed before some sea monsters attacked – I believe he used a knife. Their room was demolished by the sea monsters, though. It is highly likely they would have died, anyway."

Arthur gaped at him for a moment before turning and staring into the running water. Taking a breath, he spoke over his shoulder to the solemn man. "May I have a moment alone here?"

"Konechno," he heard him say. There was movement behind him before he heard the man stop a few steps away from him. "I am sorry," he said. Arthur almost snorted in disbelief but he nodded once, wishing the man would leave. Finally, he did and Arthur was left by the water feature.

He took a deep breath and dipped his hand into the water. This was a serious matter, one which he would have to deal with alone. Both Alfred and Matthew could never be informed. And, although he trusted the guards and Larry somewhat, he was sure they would be more loyal to the boy they had seen grow up in Spades. It would not stay a secret. He would have to dig into this matter alone.

Straightening, he took a deep breath and turned to go find Larry and his outfit for the night – only to gape at Alfred, standing where Ivan's father had been moments before, his eyebrows drawn together. His jaw appeared to be clenched, too. It was the first time Arthur had seen him look so angry.

"Al... fred...?" he whispered, wondering if he'd heard, hoping desperately that he hadn't.

"How long?" asked Alfred, quietly. It was so unnatural, his soft voice. Arthur felt his insides leap and twist and plummet. This wasn't supposed to happen, he wasn't supposed to know. He took a step back and shook his head, finding it hard to breathe. "How long, Arthur?" Alfred repeated, taking a step towards him. "How long have you known?"

"It's..." Arthur found himself saying. Then he shook his head and turned to the side, unable to look at him. "I... The Joker- I wasn't sure Alfred. I had to be sure and..." With a deep breath, he calmed himself. There was no point in covering this up any longer, no point to his panicking. He just needed to contain it. If he could keep this from being discovered by anyone else... "I have known since the night before we left Spades.

A cold breeze from a nearby window caused Arthur to shiver but he didn't look back at Alfred. He kept himself turned away, his head bowed, until he hard a dull thud. Glancing round, he found that Alfred had kicked the fountain with all his might. The stone appeared cracked.

"Dammit, Arthur! What the hell is wrong with you?! Why didn't you tell me?!"

Bristling, Arthur turned back, folding his arms. "Like I _said_ , I was unsure whether the information was true. And it appears it was. But you cannot do anything about this."

"Like _hell_ I can't!" hissed Alfred. "I can do whatever the hell I want. You _can't_ tell me what to do!"

"Listen to me, Alfred!" snapped Arthur. "This is much more than just you and the former Kings and Queens. Everything which happens from now on will affect the entire world. All of your subjects will be dragged into this."

"Not if I plunge a sword into-"

"You idiot!" cried Arthur, marching forward and grabbing his elbow. "If you kill Ivan's father, he'll declare war on you! There will be war! And we won't have any allies if you kill the others! You can't kill _any_ of them. _Please_ , for Spades' sake, _listen to me_!"

"Fine!" yelled Alfred, shaking Arthur's hand from him. "I'll just get someone else to kill them."

"And what then?" asked Arthur through gritted teeth. "What will happen when Ivan finds out who hired that assassin. And don't think he won't. Because you know fine well that he, as the King of Clubs, strikes fear into those outwith this country, which would be used fully to find out!"

"I'll... I'll... do what..." Alfred trailed off and looked at Arthur with wide eyes. "I'll 'do what the other Kings did'? Arthur, what if someone else-?"

"Hired them? I know. Exactly. You need to keep calm-"

"How can I keep calm?!" cried Alfred. "How can _you_ keep calm?!"

Arthur frowned a little more. "Well, they were hardly my parents, were they?"

"What? That's not... Arthur... Do you not know about your parents?"

"My parents?" Arthur furrowed his brows even more. "What are you talking about? What does this have to do with anything?"

"Oh, gods," breathed Alfred, his eyes wide behind his spectacles as he ran his hand through his hair. "Gods no. Have you never noticed how much your parents and mine looked similar – at least from a distance?"

"Huh?" Arthur gave a chuckle at the ridiculous statement. "Don't be daft, Alfred. They looked nothing alike."

"Come off it, Artie. They both had blonde hair and blue eyes. And your dad was the same height as mine and your mum always laughed as delicately as mine. And-! And they spoke the same, right? If you didn't look too closely and they were dressed up well enough..."

Arthur did not like where this was going. If what he was thinking was true... "What... What are you saying, Alfred?" he asked, softly, his voice barely slipping past his lips.

"They were the Royal decoys," said Alfred. He looked as though he was about to cry. Arthur thought that was weird – he wasn't upset at his parents' death but would cry about Arthur's. Why was that? The Queen shook his head. "They..." Alfred tried again but he choked on his words and he had to take a breath to try again. "A few years ago, my parents were supposed to leave on voyage around the kingdom of Spades. But... It was my birthday and I didn't want them to leave me and Mattie alone again. Not again. So- So I made a fuss: I shouted and whined and stamped my feet and, eventually, they agreed to stay behind. But they made arrangements so that they could appear to be doing their job. They sent out their decoys. When they heard about their death... They looked so worried and guilty and... They just-"

"No. No, my parents were killed by the sea," insisted Arthur, shaking his head and backing away. "No, it's not... I didn't... Why didn't they _tell_ me?"

"I don't know, Artie," sighed Alfred, reaching out for Arthur.

Instead, Arthur turned away, taking deep breaths. He couldn't panic, he couldn't get upset. It was in the past, he told himself. It didn't matter now. But how could they do that to him? How could they disappear for weeks at a time and not tell him? How could they leave him alone with Peter and no money? Surely they should have had some from their 'job'?

Something about that struck him as odd. Surely the King and Queen would have provided for them if they were using decoys. Why hadn't they?

"Arthur..." muttered Alfred, just behind him. The King must have closed the distance between them when he had turned away. "Hey, I'm sorry. Are you okay?" A hand hesitantly touched his shoulder and Arthur tensed. The touch disappeared. "What do we do?" he whispered.

"Don't tell Matthew for a start," said Arthur before turning around.

Alfred shook his head. "I can't do that. He needs to know, too."

With a sigh, Arthur shook his head. "The more people who are aware of this, the more likely it is that the _wrong_ people will find out."

"I don't care. He _needs_ to know. He's my brother. I can't keep him in the dark."

"Fine," sighed Arthur. "But no-one else can know. In the meantime, do nothing. Act normally. And let me get to the bottom of this."

"No," said Alfred. Arthur was rather taken aback and he opened his mouth to protest. Then he noticed the soft smile on Alfred's lips and he paused. "No, Artie. We'll do this together."

After a few seconds pause to consider this, Arthur nodded. "Yes. Yes, we will."

* * *

That night, the Spades Royals were given a front row seat for the play, since it was detailing a Spade princess' life. When Arthur sat, one glance at Matthew revealed that he had been told. Both he and Alfred were sitting with gritted teeth, though they made a concentrated effort to keep their hands relaxed. Meanwhile, Arthur was finding it hard to keep his head focussed on the world around him. His thoughts were whirling. Constantly whirling with the revelations. He wanted to go to his room and think to himself before going to bed.

Alas, he had to attend the play, they all did. So he forced himself to pay attention as three men came onto the stage, the rest of the acting troupe standing offstage. One with spiked blonde hair was grinning at his audience. The second, with blonde hair, a small curl sticking out and a hairclip, rolled his eyes at his companion's good mood. The last had silvery-grey hair and a blank expression as he surveyed the assembled dignitaries.

"Velkommen!" cried the happy one. "Tonight, we will perform for you the amazing play, Prinsessen af Spades. Nyd de."

And with that, the play started. Like most plays that Arthur had seen, it was a love story. But this one was unlike any he had seen before and seemed to be based on truth. Or, perhaps, a retelling of the love between a prince of Clubs and a princess of Spades. It was set before the current inheritance system and they fell in love during negotiations for Hearts to reclaim parts of their land which Clubs had claimed. Their fathers had taken them along so they could see how their politics worked.

However, as with most love stories, something came between them. Their parents. Not wanting their lands to be joined, they forbade their children from seeing each other. However, the prince of Clubs disobeyed, lying to his father about a trip around the country while he journeyed to Spades. Being careful through the lands of Hearts and stowing away on a ship, he finally arrived in Donnol where he continued his wooing of the princess.

Unfortunately, his father found out about his absence from Clubs and accused the King of Spades of kidnapping his eldest son. The Spades King was furious and, one night, locked his daughter in her room before stealing down to their meeting place in the garden. There, he slew the prince and thought that would be it.

However, the King of Clubs declared war on the King of Spades and, after a lengthy battle, the King of Clubs managed to slay the man who had killed his son. The wicked King refused to die peacefully. Instead, he placed a curse on all the Kingdoms, starting the odd system of inheritance, implemented by the chaos-loving Joker (who was played by the grinning man who had introduced the play – he suited the role well).

Applause echoed around the room but Arthur stayed still, staring in horror at the stage. Was this the truth behind the assassination of the ancient King of Spades? Was this a piece of history glossed over in their books? Did the whole of Clubs know this story?

Finally, he managed to remember himself and applauded politely. He glanced round at Alfred and Matthew and saw them looking a little bewildered yet a little happier. If they were going to be able to smile after the news of their parents deaths, Arthur was not going to shatter their reality again. He would let them believe what they wanted to about the curse. After he had discovered the reasons behind the King and Queen of Hearts' decision to assassinate the King and Queen of Spades, he would concentrate on uncovering the circumstances surrounding the curse.

And find a way to end it.

* * *

Gilbert sighed. "Was zur Hölle?" he grumbled. He had been watching Arthur for days, always excited whenever he came close to telling Alfred before he managed to reign himself in. It was very amusing watching him struggle with his knowledge.

Now Alfred knew about it, Matthew too, but none of the Spades Royals were going to do anything? That sucked. These three were much more conscientious and determined than the last time he had meddled with the Kings and Queens.

He would have to sort that out. Perhaps he could place a certain someone close to where they accused the King and Queen of Hearts. After all, that person would doubtless be unhappy with them for doing so...

Grinning happily, Gilbert stayed floating above the rest of the room's occupants as they began to filter away from the stage. Yes, he could make this work. The chaos would work. Besides, his back-up plan was going to be amazing, too, just like him!

But that determination Arthur had about the curse. He would have to stop that somehow...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Original A/N:  
> The title of this chapter is Ordonnance which means "The arrangement of elements in a literary or artistic composition or an architectural plan." I thought it would make a good chapter title to allude to the fact that Arthur finds out more about the story behind Al's parents' deaths.
> 
> What everything means:
> 
> Shén kànjiàn shìhé yú nǐ cìyǔ zhè yī róngyù. Nǐ shì yào jiānchí nǐ de lìchǎng de chuántǒng hé zhízé, bìng bǎochí yùnxíng guójiā de? Nǐ fāshì yào yǒngyuǎn rènwéi guójiā hé nǐ zìjǐ hé nǐ de xìngfú zhīqián, bǎ nǐ de guójiā ma? Nǐ dāyìng bāngmáng zhuànqián, wèi guójiā, qiě jǐn yòng yú gāi zǎ bàn? = The gods have seen fit to bestow this honour upon you. Do you swear to uphold the traditions and duties of your position and to keep the country running? Do you swear to always think of the country and put your country before yourself and your well-being? Do you promise to help make money for the country, and solely for the country? (At least, that's what I put through Google Translate. When I put the characters back through Google Translate, it muddled up the questions a little. I'm not sure if Mandarin has "Do?" in its language, now.)
> 
> Wǒ zuò de. = I do.
> 
> Konechno = Certainly. (Though it comes out as "sure" when re-translated.)
> 
> Nyd de = Enjoy.
> 
> Was zur Hölle? = What the hell?
> 
> The Ace of Diamonds is made from Mandarin Spessartite Garnet. I wanted it to be orange, you see, and the reason for the national colours. And that's what came up when I was looking for orange gemstones and thought it was perfect.
> 
> The priest is a Shinto priest but I'm not sure if I described what he was wearing quite well. Though it is from Arthur's POV, so he'd obviously make mistakes and stuff.
> 
> When I was writing this, I started writing the part with the onsen when I realised I was being stupid and I should go find out about Chinese public baths. Unfortunately, there wasn't much in the way of specifics except that men and women were segregated. So I went with the onsen as I'd found a site which detailed each step you do. Just added in a bit with Yao having had it built for Kiku to entice him to stay.
> 
> The play came from out of nowhere. I just didn't want them dancing again cause I thought that was a bit cruel. So I settled on a play but, when I got to that part, I was unsure what it would be about. I considered merging Hamlet and Romeo and Juliet and then the idea for the play popped up. To be completely honest, I've not really thought about why the ancient King of Spades was assassinated but this seems as good an answer as any, right? I think I'll be sticking to this explanation, anyway. Of course, the Clubs doctored the story a little to make them seem more honourable but the rest of the Kingdoms have either neglected its teaching or wiped it from the history books.


	11. Admittance

In the early hours of the morning, Arthur could hear splashing, as though buckets of water were sloshing into a huge bath. It was highly likely that this was indeed happening as he had to rise and get himself ready for the Clubs' Royals' coronation. However, it was still dull and he did not wish to drag himself from under his thick, heavy blankets.

So he moaned and rolled over, burying his head into the fluffy pillows. Shutting out the noises of people moving around his room, he began to drift off once again. However, just before he had completely fallen, he was pulled back up by someone shaking his shoulder. He grunted.

"You need to get up," came Larry's voice.

"Why?" murmured Arthur, groggily.

"Because you only have two hours to get ready."

"Huh?" Arthur frowned to himself, thinking. The coronation was to take place late in the morning. But Larry had said two hours. It was still dull, as though dawn was only just breaking. The land of Clubs spent a lot of time in darkness. "What?" cried Arthur, sitting bolt upright once all of his thoughts had linked together.

"Come along," said Larry, smiling slightly. "We have a bath already drawn up for you."

Sure enough, close to the fireplace was an iron bathtub. Arthur could see the steam rising from the water within. A fire was blazing merrily in an attempt to heat the room. Several large, fluffy towels had been left on a chair and a small bowl of soap had been provided.

Reluctantly, Arthur emerged from the bed. He winced when his feet touched the cold stone and his legs were hit with an icy blast. With chattering teeth, he hurried to the tub. When he reached it, he glanced over his shoulder.

"You can leave for the moment," he told Larry as he tried to suppress his shivering. "I will call for you once I am done."

"Very well," agreed Larry, slipping from the room.

Alone once again, Arthur pulled off his nightshirt and clambered into the bath. Instantly, he was able to relax and he sighed in relief. For several minutes, he lay still, relishing in the heat. Knowing it would cool quickly, however, he grabbed some soap and began to wash himself down.

As he did so, the events of the night before returned to him and he groaned in irritation. The revelations had worried him. What else did none of the new Royals know? How far did this conspiracy stretch? And why didn't his parents _tell_ him? In fact, had his brothers known? He hadn't spoken to them in so long. Did they know something? Were he and Peter the only ones in the dark?

Stopping himself from following the train of thought, he scowled. He had decided to forget about it last night so there was no use in dwelling on it. In the grand scheme of things, he knew what had happened to his parents mattered very little. Nor did the fact that they had kept it from him. What mattered at the moment was the assassination of _Alfred's_ parents. Then the curse. He could concentrate on his parents afterwards.

The water was beginning to cool as he pulled himself from the water and his reverie. Shivering slightly, he wrapped himself in the towel and dried himself off. He used a second towel to dry his hair and a third one to wrap himself up in once he was completely dry. Then he let Larry back in.

At least, he called on Larry. What entered seemed to be a tower of blue furs on legs.

"What in...?" he muttered, staring as Larry reverentially laid the things on his bed.

"It is traditional to wear furs, you know," the tailor pointed out.

"Right," agreed Arthur, absentmindedly.

He was dressed in thick, night blue trousers with an equally thick shirt in navy. A heavy coat was placed on top, also night blue. Little Spades were stitched into the fabric, stark against the sky. Finally, a black muff and black hat were given to him, to wear whilst he watched the coronation. Larry informed him that the hat was called an ushanka and Arthur hummed in interest.

Once he had pulled on his fur-lined black boots, the two of them exited the room to find Alfred and Matthew waiting with the guards. They wore much the same as Arthur except that their coats matched their eyes. Instead of the warm hat, they wore their circlets of gold and bronze.

"Hey, how come _he_ gets a hat?" grumbled Alfred, frowning at Larry.

"Because he does not have a crown to wear," answered Larry.

Arthur smirked at Alfred. "Did you not know that I am special?"

"Well..." said Alfred, his cheeks turning pink. "I thought so."

It was Arthur's turn to blush and he turned away, scowling a little. "Let us get this over with," he muttered, striding in the general direction of the stairs.

* * *

Again, Arthur found himself at the back of a throne room, crowded with nobles, standing on a temporary stage. Everyone was swathed in furs, green carpeting the room for the most part. The only varying colours were the blues and reds and oranges of the other Kingdoms.

A man with a long pipe stood in the corner of the room and suddenly blew a jaunty tune which silenced much of the room. However, Alfred was shifting his wait from foot to foot. Thankful for his long coat to hide the movement, Arthur kicked at him. His King stilled and they watched the Clubs' Royals troop in.

Ivan wore a smaller ushanka than normal, green instead of black, Clubs attached to it. His long coat looked to be in two pieces: a long white part which continued down to his boots and a short, furry green part which appeared to be more of a capelet. The part around his neck looked like a muffler as it was so thick and covered up his neck completely.

His Queen was wearing a knee-length green dress. Darker green was used for the Clubs symbols on it. Her legs were encased in thick, black tights and her sleeves continued to her wrists, attached to her hand by her thumb. It looked very similar to the dress he had first seen her in. What appeared to be a large knife was strapped to her leg. A Club hung around her neck on a silver chain.

Finally, Toris entered, dressed in a long, green jacket, Clubs adorning his breast pocket. It was left open and they could see his pale green shirt and darker breeches. A small crown had been attached to his head, a Club prominent on it.

They stood in front of their thrones and waited upon the priest who would crown them. He stepped up onto the stage, swathed in black robes with a golden embroidery. His green hat was tall and furry. Arthur wondered how he could hold his head up with the weight it must have been.

He stepped up to Toris and a small boy hurried forward with a green cushion. Upon it was the Ace of Clubs: a sceptre fitted with a green gemstone which Arthur presumed was jade. The priest lifted it up and placed it against Toris' head.

"Bogi sochli eto sootvetstvuyushchiy, chtoby darovat' etu chest' na vas," recited the priest. "Vy klyanus' soblyudat' traditsii i obyazannosti vashey pozitsii i uderzhat' stranu rabotayet? Vy klyanus' vsegda dumayut o strane i polozhit' vashu stranu pered soboy i vashego blagopoluchiya? Vy obeshchayut borot'sya do poslednego vzdokha za svoyu stranu, i tol'ko dlya vashey strany?"

Arthur presumed this meant much the same as what the priest had recited in Diamonds. Especially when Toris replied with, "Darau."

Inclining his head, the priest tapped his head gently with the sceptre and moved on to Natalya. He repeated himself, the sceptre now against her Mark. She replied with, "Ja rabliu." He tapped her gently and moved on.

Finally, it was Ivan's turn. The sceptre was placed to his forehead, the priest stretching up to do so. The speech was repeated a final time. "Ya delayu," said Ivan, smiling. His forehead was tapped and then the sceptre was handed to him. The priest bowed to his new King before turning to the audience.

"Allow me to present the Royalty of Clubs: King Ivan, Queen Natalya and Jack Toris!" The nobles bowed low and the other Royals bowed their heads. Once they had straightened, Arthur glanced at Alfred, assuming he would cry out in joy. However, he noted that his King was frowning at someone in the audience. Following his gaze, he saw who had attracted his attention.

Ivan's parents had turned to the crowd to accept their congratulations. Alfred trembled with what Arthur presumed was rage at their happy expressions. Carefully, Arthur laid a hand on his arm and, when the taller man glanced at him, he shook his head. Now was not the time...

* * *

They said their goodbyes to Ivan and the others and crowded into the carriage. Along the road, there was silence. Larry and the others seemed to sense that something was wrong but they kept their suspicions to themselves for the moment. Matthew and Alfred gazed glumly out of the window. Arthur stared at the back wall of the carriage, unsettled by Alfred's quiet.

When they finally arrived at their ship, the noise hit them. For once, Arthur welcomed it as the sailors called out greetings and the ship creaked on the cold waters. The captain greeted them but did not comment on the strained atmosphere. Once on deck, Arthur watched as Alfred and Matthew headed to the cabins.

What was he supposed to do? He felt at a loss, something which had never happened before. Back home, there had always been something to do and something wrong he needed to fix. Arthur was quite capable of fixing things. But on this occasion, he had no idea how to get Alfred to cheer up.

"Hey, Your Majesty," said Riley from behind him.

"Arthur," he corrected.

"Right, Arthur. What's up with the King?"

Turning to him, he found him, Larry, Charlie and Rajesh all staring at him solemnly. "I apologise," said Arthur, quite sincerely, "but I cannot tell you at this time."

"Well, tell us when you can," said Charlie, stopping Riley from voicing his irritation.

"We want to help as much as we can," agreed Larry, nodding. Rajesh bowed his head slightly, obviously voicing his own wishes to help.

Smiling slightly, Arthur nodded. "I promise you that I will do just that."

"That will help," said Rajesh, suddenly. Arthur blinked in surprise, wondering what he was talking about. "Smiling cheers everyone up."

With wide eyes, Arthur said, "Wha-? I-I do not know what you mean, Rajesh."

Rajesh merely inclined his head once more and walked away. The other three glanced at each other, bowed slightly and followed.

* * *

Eventually, Arthur decided that he had worried for long enough and marched down to the cabin he and Alfred were sharing. Bursting in, he strode to the bed and glared down, his arms crossed. "Alfred."

The aforementioned grunted, his back to Arthur. His arms dangled off the far edge of the bed and his legs were curled up. Perfectly tailored clothing was now crumpled and messy. Blonde hair spread across the pillow. Somehow, he looked smaller curled up like that.

"Please," said Arthur. "I know this has been hard for you but your men need you, for goodness' sake. I cannot keep diverting questions. And I cannot tell them the truth just yet."

"Why not?" grumbled Alfred.

"Because we do not know it yet."

"Yes we do!" cried Alfred, sitting up suddenly. He had taken off his glasses and his face was wet. "We know who kill-!"

"We do not know the whole story, then. Remember who you are."

"Huh?"

Arthur sighed. "You are King, Alfred. If the people discovered your distress, they would wish to avenge you. War would break out without _you_ having to lift a finger."

"I-I hadn't thought of that," muttered Alfred, shooting Arthur a sheepish look before bowing his head. "You did, though, huh?" He glanced back up.

A small, soft smile graced Arthur's lips. "Yes. It appears that it is my job to think before my King leaps into action."

Alfred stared at him for a moment. "You're smiling," he said.

"I apologise," said Arthur with a grimace. He was being insensitive. For Spades' sake, the man had just discovered a terrible secret!

"No!" exclaimed Alfred, shaking his head. "You-You hardly ever smile."

"Hm, perhaps," Arthur replied, frowning in confusion.

"You should do it more often," explained Alfred with a smile of his own. It was weaker than his usual grins. However, Arthur was relieved that he had managed to. Replacing his frown with another smile, he sat beside Alfred as the other looked down at his hands. "I-I did like you said."

"Oh?"

"I acted like everything was normal as much as I could in Clubs. At the coronation, I even shook Ivan's hand, did you see?" Arthur nodded and Alfred continued. "I didn't even- Just in case, I didn't cry. Mattie didn't either but he was totally close to." He looked up, the Colour of Spades locking with Arthur's eyes. "Is it... all right..."

Understanding, Arthur nodded. Remembering times when he had to comfort Peter from a scraped knee, he wrapped his arms around his King. He could feel him shuddering as he continued his crying, burying his face into Arthur's collarbone. Dimly, Arthur realised that he was crying on his Spade Mark but he did not let go, letting him cry himself out.

* * *

After Alfred had run out of tears and they had both comforted Matthew, the King and Jack went back up on deck. They returned to acting their normal selves, though Arthur spotted times when they appeared to be distant and he knew they were thinking on their parents. Larry and the others did not comment but would shoot Arthur meaningful looks. He would ward off their unasked questions with a shake of his head.

Time passed as they travelled west and then south. Arthur began to feel rather exhausted. Since he had been discovered as the future Queen, he had been travelling. He felt as though he had never stopped. Alfred seemed to notice his gloominess and approached him about a day's sailing from the port town they would dock at.

"Hey, Artie."

"Arthur," he corrected, automatically.

"Yeah," said Alfred, dismissively. "D'ya know how to fight? Like, with a sword?"

"When I was younger, my parents made sure I had fencing lessons." He glanced towards Alfred who looked a little disappointed with the answer. Arthur added, "Though I may be a little rusty." Although the statement was true, he couldn't help but think that it had slipped from his lips because Alfred had looked so disheartened.

"Oh, wanna practice?" asked Alfred, hastily.

"I do not see why not," agreed Arthur.

And that was how he found himself on a clear part of the deck, facing his King with a sword in hand. Matthew, Larry and the guards looked on. Even the captain appeared to be watching, though he was at the helm. The sun beat down on them, gulls crying above. Wisps of cloud floated lazily across the blue sky. Arthur watched them for a moment before returning his attention to a rather small matter he wanted to be solved before they began.

"This is not a rapier," he said, waving the cutlass.

Alfred merely shrugged. "Sorry. We don't have rapiers on the ship."

"Well, I certainly cannot fence with this."

"I said _fighting_ , not _fencing_ ," Alfred pointed out.

"Fine," sighed Arthur. "Let us get this over with."

Nodding, Alfred stepped a little closer, closing the gap. Arthur stayed still. Alfred shuffled closer still. He obviously believed he was giving Arthur a chance to attack him. But the soon-to-be Queen stood his ground. Finally, Alfred seemed to give up on Arthur moving and charged at him.

Arthur side-stepped him.

Poor Alfred continued across the deck, lost to his momentum. He crashed into the railing, wobbled and managed to push himself backwards to fall to the floor. Arthur calmly walked up behind him and tapped him with the flat of his sword.

"I take it this means I have won?" Arthur said, grinning. Alfred glared up at him. As he scrambled to his feet, Arthur spoke again. "Do you want to try again?"

"Shut up! You cheated!" cried Alfred.

"Sorry, Alfred," said Arthur, as sweetly as he could. "It was too difficult to resist temptation."

Grumbling, Alfred took up position opposite him, closer this time. Obviously, he was taking no chances. They raised their swords, bowed their heads slightly, respectfully, and Alfred attacked.

Their swords clashed together and Alfred, using the slight momentum he had built up in the attack pushed at them, causing Arthur to stumble backwards. His cutlass swung away from Alfred and he hurried to block another swing. Briefly, he lamented the fact that it wasn't fencing. Using rapiers was a lot more elegant and did not require such strength. However, he knew that he needed to learn – after all, he would require it when he was Queen.

Assessing Alfred's stance, he tried to find a way to gain the upper hand. His arms were strong, his muscles flexing as he swung the sword again and again – it was all Arthur could do to keep himself defended. With tense legs he would put his back and hips into the heavy swings, overpowering Arthur with speed and strength. Which, Arthur knew, was unfortunate. Planting his feet firmly on the ground as he was, he was vulnerable to attacks to his legs. If he kept himself in a readier stance, capable of moving swiftly, he would be able to avoid being at a disadvantage.

So Arthur used his weakness. When Alfred pulled his sword back for another blow, Arthur crouched slightly, placing all his weight on one leg. Then he swept his other across the floor, catching Alfred's legs with his ankle, his leg still sweeping round. Alfred toppled, landing hard on his back, his cutlass skidding out of reach. There was a chorus of 'oohs' which both Alfred and Arthur ignored as the King wheezed on the floor, staring up at him in surprise. Arthur pointed his own cutlass at him.

"It appears I win again, sire," Arthur said, grinning smugly.

A grin appeared on Alfred's face, however, a knowing smirk and, suddenly, Arthur's sword hand was grabbed. He was wrenched forward, a cry escaping his lips, as Alfred pulled him down. In his surprise, Arthur attempted to throw out his hands to save himself, losing his grip on his sword. He landed on top of Alfred who had snatched up the sword as soon as it fell. The point was directed at him and he fell still, breathing heavily.

"Really? I would say I won this time," said Alfred, happily.

"Yes, it certainly appears to be the case," agreed Arthur, eyeing the sword and his King's chest, the only things in his eyeline. Alfred lowered the sword and he rose, brushing himself off. "Though, I must point out that I should not have been able to take you off your feet like that."

Alfred laughed as he picked himself up, too. "Yeah, you're a real devious fighter, Artie. But you need to work on how you use your sword."

"Well, I give you full permission to teach me." Arthur smiled at him as he took his cutlass back. Alfred grinned.

* * *

When they finally docked in Hearts, Arthur was sore from the previous days activities. However, he merely grunted as he rose to get dressed, Alfred having already left the room. Finally ready to face the day after stretching, Arthur wandered leisurely up to the deck. Sailors were bustling around but Alfred, Matthew, Larry and the guards were nowhere in sight.

As he made his way towards the gangplank, however, he spotted a dark blue among the crew's neutral colours. Glancing in its direction, he spotted Alfred leaning against the railing, staring out to sea. Arthur hesitated before making his way towards him.

"Good morning, Alfred," he said.

"Oh, hey, Artie!" came the reply, Alfred's eyes not leaving whatever he was staring at. Arthur followed his gaze and realised he was looking at Spades. Before he could correct him, Alfred continued. "We'll be home soon."

"Indeed."

"And then we'll have to take care of that." Alfred gestured at their Kingdom.

"We will," agreed Arthur, glancing at him.

"It'll be awesome," said Alfred, trying to smile.

Smiling in return, Arthur nodded. "I suppose it will be." Alfred brightened and he considered his mission complete.

* * *

They arrived, finally, at the palace of Hearts. Francis, Elizaveta and Feliciano were there to greet them. Ludwig, Lovino and Antonio were hovering off to the side. Arthur wondered what they were there for – was there a security risk?

"Hello, Francis," said Alfred, a little stiffly. Surprised, Arthur glanced at him, noting his frown. He nudged his King.

Attempting to recover from Alfred's poor greeting, he said, "It is a... _pleasure..._ to be here again."

"Enchanté," said Francis, smiling at Arthur. Looking towards Alfred, he nodded at his fellow King. "Et bienvenue."

"Yeah," was Alfred's response.

"Bonjour," said Matthew, smiling lightly. Francis brightened at this but glanced to his brother and seemed to decide that now was not the time to flirt. "It is an honour to be here," Matthew continued, sounding sincere and covering for his companions' failings.

"It is our pleasure," Elizaveta interjected. "Let us show you to your rooms."

They followed their hosts inside, traipsing through the grand palace without any interruptions. As they passed the ballroom, they caught sounds of music. Presumably, Roderich was in the correct room and did not require directions.

"We are going to have a ball tonight!" said Feliciano, cheerfully, noting their interest in the room. "Roderich has been composing all week!"

Another ball? Arthur recalled the last one and grimaced. He hoped there would be no unnecessary drama. After all, he was going to create some as soon as he could find the former King and Queen.

"Oh, cool!" said Alfred, seeming to have relaxed since Francis wasn't flirting with anyone. "Will there be food?"

Matthew rolled his eyes and muttered, "Trust you."

"Oui, of course there will be," confirmed Francis, smiling. "Of course, some of it will be prepared by myself."

"Are your chefs incompetent?" asked Arthur before he could stop himself. "Ah..." he said, turning red.

Francis frowned. "Of course not!" he snapped. "I just enjoy cooking. Is it a crime to wish to prepare something for my lovely guests?" The innuendo caused said guests to shudder.

"Anyway," said Elizaveta, attracting their attention before war broke out. "Here we are at Alfred and Arthur's room."

A slight pause. "Excuse me?!" exclaimed Arthur.

"Is there something wrong?" asked Feliciano. "Francis said you would like a room to yourselves so you could lie together."

"Wh-What?!" cried Alfred, turning beetroot.

"Matthew, if you will follow me," said Elizaveta, guiding the amused Jack away from the angry Royals. He gave them a small wave and began to converse with Elizaveta.

"You do not need to hide it, mes chers," said Francis with a grin. "You are free to do as you please here."

"Including wringing your sorry neck?" growled Arthur, his fists trembling with barely suppressed rage.

"Non, non. That is something forbidden here. No killing. Just l'amour."

"Stop prattling on about 'l'amour'. There is no 'l'amour'!"

Francis pouted. "There is always l'amour, in some form or other. My parents taught me that. Ah, but I suppose that you are repressed in Spades, unable to say things clearly. Mère et père always were the most romantic couple in the four sets of Royals, of course."

"Would you shut up?"

Shaking his head, Francis turned a glare on Arthur. "Non. Now, get into your room so that you may get-"

"No," said Arthur, folding his arms. "You will get me another roo-"

"There are none left," said Feliciano, still sounding cheerful. "All the Royals and nobles are here already and the palace is filled with guests."

"But-"

"I notice that your King has not complained," mentioned Francis, casually. He opened the door and gestured inside with a small bow.

Turning to Alfred, Arthur was about to demand he say something when the Spade shrugged a shoulder and slipped inside. Arthur's eyes widened in disbelief. Shoulders slumped, he sighed in defeat and followed him inside – but not before he shot one more glare at Francis. He rounded on Alfred as soon as had closed the door. "What was that?" he hissed.

"What?" asked Alfred, still red in the face as he took in the room. There were two sections. One had a large bed with a Heart-shaped headboard. The duvet was red and it looked comfortable yet sturdy. In the other section was a couple of chaise longues and a table. The fireplace was set up but not lit. Roses were everywhere: on the mantelpiece, the table, the windowsills, the bed.

"You know what," said Arthur, worried about the state of the place. "What is that Francis thinking?" he asked, throwing his arms in the air.

"Um. I dunno," said Alfred, deliberately averting his gaze from Arthur. The Spade frowned at this but let it go. "Let's just make the best of this, okay?"

"Fine," sighed Arthur. "I suppose we should get ready now, hm?"

"Wait. I need to check out the bed." Alfred grinned, finally looking at Arthur.

"What in Spades do you mean?"

"Watch," was all the reply he got before Alfred ran away. He watched in disbelief as the man jumped mid-stride and landed upright on the bed. Then he began to bounce up and down. "Oh, wow, this is awesome! C'mon, Artie: join me!"

"There is absolutely no way I am doing that," said Arthur as he approached, shaking his head. "Get down from there."

"Nope!" And, with that, Alfred grabbed Arthur's wrists and pulled him up. Arthur wobbled and gripped Alfred's arms in surprise. "Jump!"

"Alfred!" cried Arthur, trying to steady himself even as he was bounced by Alfred's jumping. "Release me at-!"

"We're testing the bed."

"What for?" he asked, incredulous.

"To make sure it's comfortable."

"We can do that just as well by lying on it," insisted Arthur, still trying to break free whilst keeping his balance.

"Good point," conceded Alfred – and flopped down onto the bed, dragging Arthur down with him. Once more, Arthur found himself on top of Alfred as he lay still. "Ah, this is actually quite good. What do you think?" Alfred looked down at Arthur with his customary grin.

"I can hardly make a judgement when I am on top of you," Arthur pointed out, still trying to slip from Alfred's grasp.

"Yeah, well. D'you think _I'm_ comfortable?" He looked hopeful.

Arthur snorted. "Hardly. Now let me go." Obediently, Alfred did so. Now he appeared to be disappointed. "We need to get ready," Arthur repeated as he pushed himself up and knelt on the bed, his legs between Alfred's.

"Yeah."

* * *

After he had pulled on some rather fancy clothes – Larry had outdone himself with the golden Spades lining the collar and cuffs, varying shades of blue merging together – Arthur slipped from the room. Alfred was displeased with this but allowed him to do so when he explained that he would meet him outside of the ballroom. He could only hoped that Alfred would not demolish the room in his boredom.

So Arthur searched and searched, nipping into rooms with their doors ajar, climbing stairs, wandering the corridors. At some point, he found himself in the garden but there was no sign of who he was searching for. If he didn't find them now, the only chance he could talk to them would be at the ball – presuming they showed up.

After watching servants and guards hurrying past him from one of the alcoves he had discovered on his first night in Hearts, Arthur decided to stop one of them and ask. It was highly important to find them, after all, so his pride had to be pushed aside for the moment. He stepped out from his hiding place and stopped the three guards passing by. They turned out to be Ludwig, Antonio and Lovino. When they registered who it was obstructing them, Ludwig bowed and the others hastily followed suit.

"You do not need to do that," Arthur assured them, waving his hand to indicate they could rise. "I am not Queen yet."

"What can we do for you, sir?" asked Ludwig, a serious expression still on his face.

"Ah, I was hoping to speak with the former King and Queen of Hearts. Do you have any idea where they are? I have looked all over."

The three guards exchanged looks. "I think they are visiting family," answered Antonio, finally. "They will be back for the ball, though. You could speak with them then."

"Indeed," sighed Arthur, his plan in shatters. "I suppose I should get myself to the ballroom, then."

"Yes," said Lovino, sounding grumpy. "Would not want them starting without you, sì?"

Feeling that was an insult, Arthur chose to ignore it and hurried to the appointed room. Waiting outside were the Spades who had accompanied him. As he approached, he heard Alfred say, "Where is he? You don't think he's hurt himself somewhere and no-one can see him and he'll die slowly and-"

"Alfred," Matthew interrupted, pointing to Arthur.

The soon-to-be Queen rolled his eyes when Alfred turned with wide eyes. "Where in Hearts do you think I would be able to hurt myself?"

"You could have fallen down some stairs," Alfred pointed out.

"True," Arthur conceded. "Yet, I have not. Shall we go in? It will not do to keep our hosts waiting."

"Sure!" Alfred was back to his usual self. He held out an arm to Arthur who looked at it in confusion. "Come on, Artie. You're my Queen so you totally need to enter with me."

"Arthur," he corrected once again as he placed his hand in the crook of Alfred's elbow. Barely touching him, he nodded, signalling he was ready. The others gathered behind them and the doors were opened. Noise assaulted them: music, laughter, fabric moving, talking, clicking of heels on the polished floor. Red was everywhere, from the decorations to the dresses. Amongst them, green and orange could be picked out instantly, making the other visiting Royals easily identifiable.

The song stopped as they moved further in and Alfred turned to Arthur hurriedly. "Let me dance with you first!" he cried, rather enthusiastic.

"Oh," said Arthur, startled by his good cheer. What was he so excited about? "Yes, of course."

Throwing a celebratory fist in the air, Alfred dragged Arthur onto the dance floor and turned to him. He placed a hand on Arthur's waist and grabbed his hand. Arthur had no choice but to place his free hand on Alfred's shoulder, touching it lightly. With the piano and violins' first notes, Alfred began to spin them round, Arthur hardly keeping up.

"You are going too fast!" he hissed, watching their feet in concern.

"Sorry," muttered Alfred and slowed.

At this, Arthur looked up at him, rather surprised he had actually listened to him for once. Alfred was staring at the floor, concentrating. Shaking his head, Arthur sighed. "Alfred. Look up."

"What?" asked Alfred, glancing up at him. Their eyes locked and they both stared. Arthur gazed into the ocean and the sky and smiled slightly.

"You are being much to nervous," he explained. "If you look at your feet, you will trip yourself up. Quite literally."

"Ha," said Alfred, quietly. "Sorry. I'm better with the, er, 'more energetic' dancing."

"Not to worry."

They continued for some time at a more sedate pace for some time. Finally, the band in the corner were stopped by Roderich and they halted, their long coats swaying behind them. As they caught their breath, Arthur caught Alfred staring at him, his cheeks a little red. He was about to ask what was wrong when a movement caught his eye and he turned to see Francis approach them.

"Ah, may I have this dance?" he asked as he reached them, glancing at Arthur.

Before he could reply, however, Alfred stepped closer to him and shook his head. "No way! I heard what happened last time and I'm not letting you do that to Arthur again!"

Francis chuckled as the music started up again. "My, my. So energetic, cher. Mais, I was talking to _you_ , not Arthur."

Alfred turned red. "Ah, well- I mean- Er. Sorry. Sure." He turned to Arthur, looking sheepish. "Will you be okay on your own?"

With a roll of his eyes, Arthur shook his head at his over-protectiveness. However, before he could answer, he froze. Was that who he thought it was strolling onto the veranda? Quickly, he said, "Ah, yes." He kept his eyes on them. "Of course. I have someone I must speak with..."

Glancing at Alfred, he saw the Spade frown a little. Arthur sensed he understood what he was doing. "Right," said Alfred with a nod.

"Shall we?" asked Francis, holding out his arm for Alfred to take. He appeared to be curious but did not openly question it. They parted ways and Arthur hurried through the crowd – no sense in letting his quarry escape.

* * *

"-heures de plus et nous serons libres."

Arthur hesitated in the doorway as he caught part of the former Royals' conversation. Should he listen for the moment or declare his presence? Stepping out of the way of any emerging dancers, Arthur skulked in the shadows, trying to listen and translate as much as possible before he interrupted.

"Oui," replied Francis' mother. "Je ne peux pas attendre! J'ai peine à croire ce qui se passe!" She sounded excited, giddy almost, like a child on their birthday. However, beyond her not doing something, Arthur had no idea what she meant.

Her husband took a deep breath. "Francis sera déçu, cependant."

Arthur watched her dim figure nod. "Oui. Mais, peut-être qu'il va nous pardonner avec le temps."

Finally, Arthur decided that he had heard enough. Not that he understood the exchange beyond Francis maybe excusing them for something in time. But what? What could they possibly have done to require his forgiveness? Regardless of what he had heard, he stepped towards them and cleared his throat. "Excuse me, sir, madam."

With a gasp, Francis' mother spun around. Beside her, the former King froze before looking round slowly, leaning against the balustrade. "Ah, oui? What is it you want?" he asked, acting calmer than his wife, though Arthur supposed that he was as startled as she had been.

"I would like to inquire about a certain chain of events which led to a certain point in time," he announced, stepping closer and glancing over his shoulder.

Thankfully, his statement was vague enough to catch their attention. "What is this about?" asked the former Queen.

"This is about you and your husband" - she flinched at that word - "hiring the King of Clubs to commit a horrible deed."

Freezing, the former Queen clutched at her lavish dress. She gripped it so tight that the hem of it rose slightly – Arthur could see her ankles. Behind her, Francis' father merely froze, eyes wide and reflecting the limited light.

"Q-Quoi-? What are you talking about?" stammered the woman.

"You hired the King of Clubs to kill the King and Queen of Spades. I wish to know why."

"Non, we did- How did you-?"

Arthur cut in. "That hardly matters. Tell me your reason and, perhaps, I can spare you from their son's wrath."

The threat worked. Glancing at each other, the former Queen backed away, using the balustrade to support herself. Her husband moved forward and took a deep breath. "We did it... for love."

"Excuse me?" asked Arthur, incredulous. What did killing another country's Royals have to do with any form of love?

Steeling himself, the elder man nodded slightly, as if deciding it would be fine to tell the Spade their story. "When we were crowned King et Queen, we did not like each other. We were forced to live with each other, love each other, consummate and raise an heir. It was a horrible experience. Of course, it was all the more horrible because we had been in love before we had inherited the Kingdom."

Arthur's breath caught. No. It couldn't be. But, perhaps it _was_ that simple, just as the Diamonds' involvement had been. "You..." he managed to mutter.

Not appearing to have heard Arthur, the former King continued with his story. "We raised Francis as though we loved each other, of course, and promoted fond thoughts of l'amour. However, we remembered our true loves and... Well, we conceived that plan and now, tomorrow, after the ceremony, we will be able to leave the palace and find them once again."

Backing up to the wall, Arthur leaned against it. This whole assassination had come about as a result of a curse. And, of course, _that_ had been the result of love, if the play was anything to go by. It appeared that this entire situation was a vicious cycle which would not stop. Not until the curse was broken. Could he do it?

He shook his head. No, he had to concentrate. So, the Royals of Hearts had been unhappy on the throne and so they had arranged the assassination. However, why wait till now to do so? They could have asked at any time. As could the King of Diamonds. What had happened to prompt them to have Alfred's parents killed now? Was there something the Spades' Royals had been doing that had insulted them and sparked the idea?

"How-How did you come up with the plan?" he asked, quietly.

"Quoi?"

"What gave you the idea to have the King and Queen of Spades assassinated?"

The man turned to his wife, frowning. They muttered to each other in their own language, so quiet that Arthur could not make out single words. Finally, he turned back around and shook his head. "I think it just came to us one day-"

"Attendez," interrupted the former Queen. She stood straighter and stepped forward to stand beside her current husband. "I recall something someone said," she explained to both of them. "A passing remark that we could be with our loved ones if we could give up the throne. If only someone would die... Who was that?" She frowned in thought.

"Ah, oui, I remember him," said the man, nodding. "He wore blue, so he must have been an official of Spades."

"What?" breathed Arthur, eyes wide.

"The hat," murmured the former Queen. "The... Jack?"

"Oui," agreed the former King, nodding his head so fast Arthur thought it would come off.

"Are you sure?" he asked. They only nodded, a determined expression settling on their faces.

He stared at them, trying to understand. The Jack of Spades had nudged them towards an assassination of his own Royals? The people he worked with and lived with. If he had visited Diamonds around the same time, there was every chance he could push them with a few veiled words. But why?

Something occurred to Arthur so suddenly that he took a sharp breath. If his parents had been decoys, there should have been some sort of compensation given to him. It would not have placated him but it would have helped him with Peter. He would not have had to work as hard and may even have accepted being a Queen more readily. The Jack was in charge of the finances, usually. Which meant that he had not seen fit to give him money – because his plan had failed? Bitterness affecting his work... Perhaps he had hoped Arthur would have taken revenge if he was not given anything in exchange for their death.

Now there was no doubt in his mind who had started this awful chain of events.

"Thank you for being so honest," said Arthur, bowing his head slightly. He turned to leave but was stopped by a hand on his arm. The former Queen was staring at him quite intently, pleading, when he turned around in surprise.

"You will not tell your King?"

Understanding their trepidation, Arthur hesitated before shaking his head. "No. I will not. At least, until I have discovered the former Jack's intentions." She nodded and he turned to leave once more. On his approach to the door, he took a breath – he would have to lie to Alfred once more. Telling him that someone he had grown up with and knew well had started everything did not seem like a very good idea.

Stepping into the ballroom, he glanced around, waiting for his eyes to adjust. He froze, staring at two pairs of blue eyes.

Beside the door, hidden from view, stood Alfred and Francis. They both looked horrified.

Arthur recovered first. "A-Alfred. Francis. Ah, did you-? Did you have a pleasant dance?"

He knew that they had heard everything as soon as Alfred's eyes narrowed. Not deigning to give Arthur a response, he turned and slipped through the crowd. Arthur didn't bother to call after him – his voice would be swallowed by the noise of the room. He watched helplessly as Alfred hurried through one of the doors. Worried, he glanced at Francis who seemed to be frozen in shock.

"Are you all right, Francis?" he asked, cautiously.

Francis' blue eyes snapped to Arthur's and he shook his head, taking a step back. Then he turned and rushed from the room, his clothes fanning out behind him as he strode through the other door.

Biting at his lip, Arthur wondered if he should go after them. Explain to Alfred that he was trying to shield him from the truth or comfort the obviously distraught Francis? With a sigh, he chose and hurried along the edge of the room to reach the door.

* * *

He found Alfred in their bedroom. The young King was lying in the middle of their bed, his head in his arms, one leg curled up. Quietly, Arthur moved to the bed and sat down in the minimal space left. Patting his arm, he gained Alfred's attention in the form of a blurry glare.

"What do _you_ want?" growled Alfred.

"I apologise."

"For what?"

Arthur sighed. "I know I said that I would not tell you. What I meant was that I would tell you once the coronations are over. We have had so many revelations in the space of a few days that it is probably going to affect our performances."

"Performances?" Alfred was frowning, as though he genuinely didn't understand what Arthur meant.

"Yes. The three of us must appear at ease and happy when we are being crowned."

At this, Alfred sat curling both his legs now. With the increase in space, Arthur wriggled onto the bed properly, his legs still hanging off the side. "Why can't we be sad or angry?" demanded Alfred, scowling. It wasn't a good look on him, Arthur decided.

"The Kingdom-" Arthur began with a roll of his eyes.

"Screw the Kingdom!" Alfred snapped.

Silence descended. Alfred was breathing hard, obviously trying to stop himself from crying. His Queen simply stared back at him blankly, unsure what to do or say. His reasons for lying were not being accepted as readily as last time and it seemed that, if he did not calm his King down soon, there would be unrest within the Kingdoms. Strangely, despite having been so adamant about not being Queen just a few weeks ago, Arthur did not want that to happen and would do anything to stop it.

He spotted a bulge in Alfred's waistcoat pocket and he tapped it. "Your father," Arthur said as he tugged gently at the chain hanging freely, "entrusted you with the Kingdom. He was hard on you, I know. However, he was probably trying to prepare you for this." He looked back up and into Alfred's eyes. "You cannot always have your way, Alfred. Please. Calm down. We can look for the former Jack once we have been crowned but try to act as normally as you can until then. Do you understand?"

Slowly, Alfred nodded. "Yeah. But... You're not gonna lie to me any more?"

Arthur thought about it for a moment and shook his head. "No. I have also learned my lesson. If I am to be Queen, I must trust you not to lose your temper over matters such as these. I should work _with_ you and Matthew. It is impossible to work on these things alone." He smiled softly at Alfred who stared back for a moment, obviously shocked. Then a grin shone from his face. Arthur quickly stood before he could hug him or whatever he was planning. "Anyway, I must leave you, for now. Will you be going back to the ball?"

"Nah," said Alfred, tilting his head in curiosity. "I think I'll just stay here. Where are _you_ going?"

Sighing, Arthur replied, "I have another King to go comfort."

"Who?" Alfred's brow furrowed. "Francis?"

"Yes. He was fairly upset after you left and has also abandoned his own party. I expect it was quite a shock, discovering that about his parents."

Alfred nodded his understanding so Arthur turned to leave. However, a hand grabbed his sleeve and he paused, looking back at an uneasy King. "You... won't be staying with him all night, will you?"

"Of course not!" said Arthur with a snort of derision. "There is no way anyone will make me do that. I shall be back to sleep on the couch, regardless."

"You don't need to sleep on the couch," Alfred protested, his gaze flickering away. "We can share the bed, like on the ship."

"Ah, well." Arthur turned from him, unwilling to let the sudden blush be seen. "Yes, I suppose we can do that." With that being said, he hurried from the room.

* * *

"Verdammt!" hissed Gilbert as he floated just below the ceiling of the corridor, watching Arthur make his way along it. As the Spade began his search for the King of Hearts, Gilbert bobbed after him. "Francis was supposed to make a fuss. Stupid Hearts Schwein!" He scowled at nothing in particular. On his shoulder, Gilbird chirped and he glanced at the bird. "Ja, you are right. It is just a shame that they are not living up to my expectations." The Joker pouted for a moment. "I suppose I should start getting ready, though. It is not over yet."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Original A/N:  
> Translation for those who don't speak Russian and stuff! (I don't either. What the priest says doesn't translate back on Google Translate well so I gave up after fiddling round and not getting it right for five minutes. So what it "translates" to is what I put into the thing in the first place.)
> 
> Bogi sochli eto sootvetstvuyushchiy, chtoby darovat' etu chest' na vas. Vy klyanus' soblyudat' traditsii i obyazannosti vashey pozitsii i uderzhat' stranu rabotayet? Vy klyanus' vsegda dumayut o strane i polozhit' vashu stranu pered soboy i vashego blagopoluchiya? Vy obeshchayut borot'sya do poslednego vzdokha za svoyu stranu, i tol'ko dlya vashey strany? = The gods have seen fit to bestow this honour upon you. Do you swear to uphold the traditions and duties of your position and to keep the country running? Do you swear to always think of the country and put your country before yourself and your well-being? Do you promise to fight till your last breath for your country and solely for your country?
> 
> Darau. = I do
> 
> -heures de plus et nous serons libres. = more hours and we will be free. (As in "A few more hours and we will be free.")
> 
> "Je ne peux pas attendre! J'ai peine à croire ce qui se passe!" = I cannot wait! I can hardly believe this is happening!
> 
> Francis sera déçu, cependant. = Francis will be disappointed, though/however.


	12. Affirmance

He found Francis in the large kitchens, sitting at a scrubbed table, a bottle of wine close at hand. It was clear he had been drinking as much as possible in a short amount of time and Arthur wondered if he should just leave. Being around Francis when he was drunk did not seem like a good idea. However, he took a deep breath, steeled himself for whatever would happen, and approached.

"Francis?" he said as he stood at the King's elbow. "Are you quite all right?" he asked as he laid a hand on a red-clad shoulder.

Turning, the Heart stared up at him with teary eyes. "'All right'?" he demanded, sounding angry. "Why would I be 'all right'?"

"I, er-"

"My parents are liars. And they did... _that_." He waved his glass around, the deep, red wine sloshing around. Arthur grimaced. "Why have you not announced this to everyone?"

"'This'?" repeated Arthur, a little confused. "You want me to announce that your parents did not love each other yet bore a son?"

"Non. Non!" With that, Francis stood, glaring down at Arthur. "L'assassinat!"

"Ah. Well, I do not want to upset anyone with false accusations. I was-"

"You knew they were assassinated, oui?"

"I- Well, yes, but-"

Shaking his glass in front of Arthur, Francis's brow furrowed. "You should have told us!"

"We must get to the root of this problem, Francis," said Arthur, trying to keep his temper in check. "If I told everyone, it would harm the investigation."

"Which you were doing alone." Francis gave him a stern look and Arthur took a step back.

"Yes. I did not want people to get too upset over this." Francis tilted his head so Arthur explained further. "If I could, I was willing to take on this burden alone."

For a moment, they stared at each other, Francis's eyes searching Arthur's. The Spade stood resolute at his full height, his expression determined. He didn't know what Francis was looking for but Arthur would let him know that he was willing to do anything for his country now.

Suddenly, Francis chuckled and set down his glass. "You are a strange Queen. Mais..." He paused, staring into the distance. "You will be a good one. Alfred is lucky to have you."

"Um..."

"Do not worry, I will tell no-one what I have heard tonight. I trust that you _both_ will figure this out and bring them all to justice in time."

"Including your parents?" Arthur inquired, incredulous. He doubted Francis would want that.

Turning back to look at him, Francis gazed at him for a moment. Then he nodded. "I... They should not have done something so vile. L'amour- Ah, but what is l'amour?"

Since he stopped there, Arthur took it upon himself to answer. "Love is something unexplainable. It is what makes you fight for someone. It is what makes you work as hard as you can to give your siblings or your significant other a better life. It is what makes people sacrifice themselves for King and country. It is what makes people stand by someone when they are ill and close to death. It is what makes people do desperate things to be back in their love's arms. It is what makes people protect others from the world. It is a wondrous thing – but it is also a dangerous thing."

Once he had finished, he found Francis looking at him in surprise. Quickly, he glanced away as he felt a blush spread across his face. "Arthur..." murmured Francis.

"I-I read it in a book!" exclaimed Arthur, hurriedly.

"Oui... If you say so," Francis replied with a chuckle.

"Tsk!"

"Do you think...?" Francis trailed off, turning to stare at the glass of wine. "Will Alfred forgive me?"

"You did nothing wrong," said Arthur, confused.

"Hm, I rather think I did," said Francis, glancing at Arthur. He surveyed the Spade for a moment before grinning. "But I think he has rather a long way to go."

Not liking the look Francis was giving him, Arthur's eyes narrowed. "I have no clue what you are talking about, Frog!"

Francis appeared taken aback. Then a smug look in his eyes replaced his surprise and he acted as though he was wounded. "Ah, cher. Do you really think it is wise to aggravate me, after all of your efforts to prevent a war?"

Scowling, Arthur turned on his heel. "It seems my job here is complete," he snarled. "If you will excuse me." And, with that, he marched off, away from the kitchens. Avoiding the party revellers, he made his way back to his shared bedroom to find Alfred had fallen asleep in the middle of the bed, clutching the Ace of Spades.

* * *

The morning brought brilliant sunshine streaming through the gaps between the curtains. It also brought someone poking Arthur's cheek. Waking properly, he slapped the hand away and groaned, glaring up at his tormentor.

"What're you doing on the couch, Artie?" asked Alfred, giving him a strange look.

"I believe this is called a chaise longue, actually," corrected Arthur, sitting up and stretching with a yawn. "And it is _Arthur_."

"Whatever. I told you to sleep in the bed with me." Alfred paused as he realised how that sounded and blushed. "I-I mean-"

"How could I?" asked Arthur as he stood from his makeshift bed. "You were sprawled in the middle of it and you would not move for love nor money."

"Ah. Sorry."

"Do not worry so much. Is it time?"

Alfred nodded. "I let you sleep so the bathroom's all yours. Hey, what d'ya think?" With that, he stepped back and spun on his heel, letting himself go round until his momentum slowed and he was once again at a standstill – facing away from Arthur. After an about-face, he grinned at Arthur.

The King was wearing a silk shirt, silk breeches and what appeared to be bright, white tights. His golden circlet was slanted and he scratched at it as Arthur surveyed him. Stepping towards him with a tut, he straightened it out for him.

"You look fine. Very handsome," assured Arthur, unthinkingly. He yawned once more before turning to the en suite bathroom. "I shall not be too long."

Inside, Arthur closed the door but found no lock. He cursed Francis and his presumptions but his musings were stopped when he surveyed the room. It was enormous with stained-glass windows casting Hearts across the tiles. The bath was more like a swimming pool than anything else, the white marble shining brighter than the pink tiles. Two taps were at one end – they appeared golden but Arthur was not sure if they were or if they were brass, polished to shine. A pleasant perfume hung in the air from Alfred's shower, the scent of roses making Arthur smile happily.

With some trepidation, Arthur filled the bath and hesitantly slipped in. There was soap nearby so he quickly used that to wash, deciding it would be best to be fast. He had a feeling that, if he waited too long, Alfred would appear to pester him. Being naked would be an embarrassment he was not sure he could live with.

Finally, he emerged, grabbing a fluffy towel to dry off. Since the towel was wet and he had no clean clothes, Arthur wondered what he could wear to step out of the room. He spotted a bathrobe hanging innocently behind the door, a pale pink and made of silk. Grimacing, Arthur pulled it on before re-entering the bed chambers.

"Woah. Pink looks good on you," declared Alfred, immediately, grinning at Arthur.

"Shut up," snapped Arthur, glaring at Alfred. The King only chuckled and glanced away, his cheeks a little rosy.

The door was suddenly flung open and Larry marched in. His arms were full of shining blue which he placed on the bed before turning to Arthur. He blinked as he caught sight of the King. "What are you doing here, sire?" he asked. "Ah, well, I did not realise you were here, otherwise I would have knocked."

"Oh, well..." said Alfred, sheepishly, shifting nervously.

"I thought you had to talk with the Jack," continued Larry, obviously ignoring Alfred's discomfort.

"Suppose..." muttered the King and glanced at his Queen. "See you later, I guess."

Arthur rolled his eyes. "Do not keep your brother waiting any longer," he said, shooing him. "I am not going to disappear into thin air – I shall see you later."

With a nod, Alfred left, sending Arthur one more sullen glance as the door closed. Shaking his head, Arthur turned his attention to the clothes he was to wear. They were similar to Alfred's, though his were a lighter shade compared to Alfred's royal blue. A small hat with a peacock's feather was also available. He raised an eyebrow when he spotted it. Larry simply glared back.

"Wear it. We shall not be outdone by the Hearts," he said with a sniff and Arthur reluctantly began to get dressed.

* * *

Once again, Arthur found himself on a stage at the back of the throne room. Everyone seemed to be wearing expensive silks and they rustled quietly as they moved. They didn't have to wait long too long, luckily.

Roderich began playing the piano a few moments after the visiting Royals had assembled and the Hearts trio traipsed in, all smiles. Francis was wearing a pair of red breeches which seemed to have rubies sewn onto it. A pair of black boots came up to his knees, the buckles shining. His dark top was embroidered with hearts but this was mostly covered by his long, white robe. A small crown was attached to his head at a jaunty angle. Conversely, Feliciano was mostly in soft reds and pinks. His hat sat properly on his head, a large heart attached to it. Meanwhile, Elizaveta's dress flowed from her hips, the red bright, and the low cut revealed her Heart Mark. A large, red rose pinned her hair back.

Taking a moment to observe Francis, Arthur could tell that the King of Hearts was still affected by the revelations of the night before. He was avoiding looking at the area his parents were. However, his smile was soft – it was clear that he cared deeply for his people and his Kingdom.

A man dressed in long black robes with a white, square cravat tied around his neck walked onto the raised platform. He stood before Feliciano and gestured for a small boy in a similar outfit to come forward. The cushion in the boy's hands carried the Hearts' Ace: a Heart-shaped music box. Taking it carefully from the boy, the priest turned to Feliciano and spoke.

"Les dieux ont jugé bon d'accorder cet honneur à vous. Jurez-vous de respecter les traditions et les devoirs de votre position et de maintenir le pays en cours d'exécution? Jurez-vous de toujours penser du pays et de mettre votre pays avant vous-même et votre bien-être? Le faites promettez-vous à adore votre pays et uniquement votre pays et de ses habitants?"

"Sì!," confirmed Feliciano, happily, smiling widely. The priest inclined his head and opened the music box, its strains drifting across the room, making sure the point of the Heart faced Feliciano's chest. It was a sweet, calming melody and Arthur could feel himself relaxing slightly. In his mind's eye, he could see people waltzing around a ballroom, the perfect picture of nobility. Suddenly, the lid was snapped shut and the sound ceased. Moving on, the priest stopped in front of Elizaveta and repeated his speech.

"Igen," answered Elizaveta, smiling as well. This time, the priest made sure the box touched Elizaveta's Mark before he opened it and unleashed the beautiful music.

When he finally reached the King, Arthur noticed Francis looking a little nervous. He was gazing across the room, trying to keep his eyes from roaming towards his parents. Their eyes met as the priest recited the oath. Doing his best to smile, Arthur felt his mouth twitch upwards quickly before settling into his blank expression. It seemed to encourage the King as Francis returned his attention to the priest and nodded determinedly. "Oui," he said.

Turning to the crowd, the priest declared, "Allow me to present the Royalty of Hearts: King Francis, Queen Elizaveta and Jack Feliciano!" As one, the room bowed and the fellow Royals inclined their heads. When they had straightened, a cheer came from the side of the room: it appeared that Antonio, standing guard in the room, had decided that it was best to cheer their Royals. Roderich seemed to acknowledge this and began to clap. Soon the place was filled with cheers, applauding and laughter.

Leaning towards Matthew, Arthur asked him, "Are we going to stay for the celebrations or leave, like before?"

"Oh, we have a lot of work to do," said Matthew over the noise. "We have to leave right away. Once we get back to Spades, we will have to organise a lot of different things within a few hours, before the rest of the Royals turn up."

"That hardly seems fair," Arthur remarked.

"That's tradition," said Alfred on his other side.

* * *

Sure enough, they said their farewells and were hurried away. Arthur had wanted to speak with Francis but Alfred steered him away as soon as he had explained that they were leaving. The soon-to-be Queen just sighed and let his King drag him away. They squashed themselves into the carriage and began their journey back to the harbour.

Once more, they boarded the ship. Once more, they set sail, the window blowing in the best direction for them. However, it was to be their last voyage for some time. Arthur was both relieved and saddened by this and spent a lot more time with the captain in the last hour and a half it took for them to cross the sea.

"I know ye came from nobility to begin with," the weather-beaten man said at one point. "But I also know ye had t'work hard t'survive. Don't forget that."

"I will not," promised Arthur.

"Good. 'Cause we need someone who knows how it is."

"Alfred will be a good King," Arthur insisted, glancing at the captain with a frown.

"Aye, he surely will," replied the smiling man, sending his own glance Arthur's way. It made Arthur uncomfortable and, as they reached the port at Donnol, Arthur scurried off to find the King and Jack of Spades.

There was another flurry of activity as they docked. The gangplank was lowered, the anchor dropped, the guards ushered them off the ship to the waiting carriage. Arthur paused as Matthew clambered into the vehicle and took a deep breath; the familiar smells of horses, baking bread and oil from the lamps soothed him.

"It's good to be home, huh?" said Alfred, cheerfully.

"Indeed," sighed Arthur as he followed Matthew.

"Mattie, what're we doing for entertainment tonight?" Alfred asked as he climbed in, too.

"Er..." was Matthew's response, grimacing. "I have no idea. I was going to ask you two."

"Should it be something to do with our Kingdom?" asked Arthur, thinking back on the other pre-coronation entertainment in the other countries.

"That would be good, yes."

"A dance of some sort?"

"Not another ball," moaned Alfred, pouting.

"That would look like we were copying the Hearts," agreed Arthur, nodding. "I do not want Francis picking up on that."

"So, not a ball, but a dance," muttered Alfred. After a moment's thought, he suddenly exclaimed, "Ah! How about that 'energetic' dancing?" He grinned at his brother and Arthur.

"Oh, come along, Alfred. That is most-" began Arthur but the words of the captain suddenly came to him and he froze, staring at a point slightly above Alfred's shoulder. The 'energetic dancing' Alfred claimed to be so fond of was something that the people in the towns and cities, apart from the nobility, had devised generations ago and danced at everything from weddings to wakes. It truly showcased their Kingdom at its finest. Despite it being an 'improper' dance, Arthur realised that it would show the world what they had and be different from the usual sorts of celebrations in the palaces of the Royals.

"Arthur?" asked Alfred, worriedly.

"That is an excellent idea," he breathed, grinning at his King.

"Really?! You really think so?!" Alfred cried, bouncing in his seat.

"Are you sure?" asked Matthew, looking somewhat doubtful.

"This is Spades," explained Arthur. "The land of hard work. Those dances were created by the people, for the people, to celebrate their life between their bouts of work. We should _show_ the other Kingdoms."

"I see..." said Matthew, sounding thoughtful, a smile on his face.

"Not only that," Arthur continued as the carriage rattled through the gates of the palace, "we could invite the people, as well."

"You mean, other than the nobles?" asked Alfred, his eyes wide.

"Who better to guide those not well versed in these dances than the people that use them?"

"Yes!" shouted Alfred as the carriage began to slow. "This- We got to, Mattie, please!"

Matthew chuckled at Alfred's enthusiasm and nodded, his hair bobbing happily. "I will prepare everything at once. Ah, is there a dress code?"

"Nope!" Alfred said before Arthur could answer. "In fact, the simpler, the better!"

"As you wish," Matthew replied before hopping from the vehicle.

"Should we assist him?" asked Arthur, watching him rush off.

"Nah, we've got more important things to do, don't we?" Alfred looked into Arthur's eyes, those blue ones of his hard and determined. Arthur understood immediately.

"Yes," he agreed and alighted from the carriage.

* * *

"What do you mean, you do not know his whereabouts?!" demanded Arthur, glaring at the young guard.

"Um, he, er," said the man, shifting his weight from foot to foot. "He told us there was something he had to take care of..."

"And what was that, exactly?" asked Alfred, frowning.

Glancing towards the King, the guard bowed his head, perhaps so as to not see Alfred's expression. The King did look rather disappointed. "He said there was some sort of a rebellion happening just outside of the city and had gone to talk some sense into them whilst you were away."

"A rebellion?" Alfred's eyes were wide as he turned to Arthur.

With a furrowed brow, Arthur spoke up once more. "I do not understand this man. What is he up to?"

"But- Artie, a rebellion! There's not supposed to be any rebellions!"

"Calm down, Alfred," sighed Arthur, waving his hand at the guard in dismissal. The man scurried away. "There may not be any uprisings."

"You mean, he lied?"

Fixing him with a pointed look, Arthur said, "As he has done for quite some time."

"Yeah..." Then Alfred frowned again. "I don't understand. Why's he gone out if there's no rebellion?"

"A better question would be, if there _is_ one, why has he gone to stop it?"

"Huh?"

Noticing Alfred's confused look, Arthur rolled his eyes. "He has taken great pains to get rid of one set of Royals. It would be easy to get rid of another before they are even crowned if he were to _assist_ the rebellion."

"Do you think...?"

"Yes. If there _is_ a rebellion, he has gone to help them."

"Oh, man!" Alfred twirled away from him, stalking towards the throne room. Arthur followed, having nothing else to do.

Once in the room, Arthur glanced around, his eyes settling on the throne soon to be his. It had little Spades adorning it yet it was not as elaborate as the King's which was inlaid with sapphires. To make it more obvious that it was the Queen's, it was also slightly smaller in size. The smallest was the Jack's and had only one Spade carved into its back.

"I do not think you have to worry-" Arthur began but was cut off when Alfred spun to face him.

"Why shouldn't I?!" he cried, throwing his arms in the air. "He was such a good friend to me! And my parents, they adored him, told me often the importance of having a loyal and hard-working Jack. Why is he _doing_ this?!" Alfred ended in a growl.

Biting his lip, Arthur stepped forward, trying to stay calm. He didn't want to upset Alfred further by seeming worried or irritated. However, he was burning with anger – how dare the former Jack do this to his prince, his King? Laying a hand on Alfred's arm, he took a breath and spoke as soothingly as possible.

"It is no use to dwell on questions we cannot find the answer for. Everything will be revealed in due course. Now, do you not have a guest list to make?"

Alfred hesitated and Arthur rubbed at his arm, trying to placate him. "So... Concentrate on getting crowned and _then_ worry about Winston?"

Arthur merely nodded, though his eyes flashed with anger at the man's name.

* * *

Once the whirlwind that was Larry had been and gone, Arthur was wearing remarkably less elaborate clothing: a white, cotton shirt; a blue, woollen, sleeveless pullover; and a pair of grey trousers. He straightened his Spade adorned tie and tried to tame his hair one last time before giving up and emerging from his room. Both Alfred and Matthew were waiting for him in completely different outfits. Alfred's consisted of only a shirt and trousers, his golden circlet on his head and a long, blue robe which brushed the floor. Meanwhile, Matthew had a much more traditional outfit which included breeches and his bronze circlet. Arthur marvelled at the large, puffy sleeves of his doublet.

"Man," breathed Alfred. "Is Larry even thinking today? We don't match at all! And Mattie looks-" He broke off with a snort of laughter.

"Sh-Shut up! These are traditional!" exclaimed a blushing Matthew, looking rather upset.

Arthur decided to come to Matthew's rescue. " _I_ reckon he looks rather... dashing." He tried to give Matthew a smile but he supposed it looked more like a grimace.

"What about me?" demanded Alfred.

Looking him up and down, Arthur took in his plain shirt and his black trousers. "You look like someone picked you out of a crowd of labourers and threw a robe over your shoulders," he finally replied.

This caused Alfred pause. And, the fact that Alfred hadn't insulted him back, caused Arthur to fret that he had said something wrong. Finally, Alfred grinned at Arthur. "D'ya mean that 'cause I'm all muscles?"

For a few seconds, Arthur absorbed this comment. Shaking his head, he declared, "And no brain."

"Hey!" cried Alfred. "At least I don't look old and- and- stupid! Wearing that- What the heck _is_ that, anyways?" The King pointed at Arthur's pullover.

"Oh, um..." Arthur blushed and glanced away. "A-Apparently this is some sort of new fashion Larry is trying out on me. He said I would be perfect for it."

"Huh. Well..." Alfred gazed at Arthur, slowly letting his eyes shift across the Spade's body. Arthur shifted uncomfortably. "Kinda suits you, actually."

Arthur's eyes narrowed. "Are you implying that I'm 'old and stupid'?" he demanded.

"A-Ah! No! I- Just-! Um..." Alfred turned red as he shook his head and waved his hands.

"Tsk!" said Arthur once he had had his fill of watching the flustered Alfred. "Well, after this, I shall not make the mistake of letting Larry force me into new 'fashions'." With that being said, he began to stride off, heading towards the front of the castle. It was high time to welcome the other Royals.

It was odd, Arthur realised, waiting on the steps of the palace for people you had seen only that morning to greet and welcome them as if you had not seen them for weeks. And it was also odd to him to be the one doing the greeting – he had been sailing the world for weeks but, now, he was anchored to Spades, tethered to the palace. He wasn't entirely sure how to feel about that. Though he knew he wanted to be the Queen now, to protect his country from the Joker and the former Jack, he felt like he was intruding on this privileged life.

Perhaps he would get used to it in time. He was certainly getting used to Alfred's fidgeting.

" _Would you stop that?!_ " he hissed at his King.

Alfred pouted but swished his robe through the air once more, presumably for good measure. Arthur scowled back at him. Meanwhile, Matthew, on Arthur's other side, sighed at his brother's antics.

It was a rather gloomy day, the dark clouds floating in from the ocean. If it wasn't for the knowledge that it would require immense power and a lot of energy, Arthur would have thought the Joker was responsible. After all, he may be travelling the path he was set on, but it certainly was not having the foreseen results. Despite the threat of rain, the crowds beyond the castle were cheering as a carriage rattled through the city – the people knew they were only a few hours away from having Royals once more.

"Look, they're here," Arthur pointed out, nodding at the Spade-adorned carriage as it rolled through the gates. The blue plumes of the horses bobbed as they slowed. "Stop fidgeting."

The only answer he received was a sigh. Then he didn't have the time to scold the taller man as the door opened and the Diamonds' Royals got out. First, Jack Sun emerged, still wearing his fine silk from the Kingdom of Hearts. He nodded at them before turning and helped out the Queen of Diamonds. Kiku was wearing a silk kimono and looked significantly more feminine than Arthur had ever seen him. A small smile was sent his way and Arthur nodded back with one of his own. Finally, the King of Diamonds alighted from the vehicle and straightened himself out. As one, they approached the Spades.

"Yo, you guys!" said Alfred, cheerfully, and Arthur dearly wished that punching the idiot of a King was proper etiquette. "Safe journey?"

"Shì de," Yao replied, inclining his head regally. "I trust our rooms are ready? We would like to change."

"Of course, Your Majesty," assured Matthew. "If you would like to follow us, we will make sure you are settled in."

They all turned and entered the castle, Alfred engaging Yao in conversation. Arthur would have taken part but he turned to Kiku instead when he felt the Queen's hand on his elbow. "Are you settling in well?" the Diamond asked.

"Ah, well... I suppose so. Though, I have not really had the time to get used to having such a large room. In fact, I think I will find it odd when I go to my chambers tonight."

Kiku chuckled. "You will be quick to adapt, I am sure."

Grinning, Arthur agreed just as they reached the first room that Matthew had gotten ready. "This is for Jack Sun," he announced with a smile. "And the next two on this side are for the Queen and King, respectively."

"Arigatou," said Kiku, inclining his head.

Instantly, the Royals of Diamonds dispersed. The Jack slipped into his room and Kiku bowed to the others before leaving. Yao watched them go with an exasperated expression before nodding to the Spades and leaving.

"Boy, Diamonds are hard to talk to, aren't they?" Alfred commented.

"They are probably just as tired as everyone else," said Arthur. "Really, now, this tradition of racing around to crown everyone is rather ridiculous.

"Well, we had best return to the front door," Matthew declared. With nods from the others, they made their way back and emerged from the palace just as a second carriage stopped at the foot of the stairs.

The doors were opened and the Royals of Clubs spilled out onto the courtyard, their green silks billowing behind them as they walked. Natalya stayed close to her brother as they ascended the stairs, Toris slightly behind them. When they reached the Spades, they stopped and, before, they could speak, Alfred greeted them, cheerfully.

"Hey, guys! Nice to see you made it. Want to get to your rooms or stick around for a chat?"

Ivan smiled and nodded. "I would like to ask you something."

"Yeah?"

"My parents were rather upset the day after our coronation – do you know why?" His smile was tentative, as though he was not sure whether he should be frowning instead. And, when Alfred glanced at Arthur for guidance, it slipped into a confused expression. "Ah, so you _do_ know something?"

Deciding to bite the bullet, Arthur said, "Yes. But... We are in the midst of an investigation of sorts. Once we have gotten to the root of the, er, problem, we will be sure to inform you of the details."

"Really?" asked Alfred, sounding unsure.

"Perhaps it would be best to tell all the Royals," suggested Toris, suddenly, garnering everyone's attention. "If this problem is important enough to discuss with the former King and Queen of Clubs, then, maybe we should all know."

Alfred nodded. "Yeah, sounds fair. Dontcha think, Artie?"

"Arthur," the Spade automatically replied, surveying his King. It seemed that all of Arthur's talk of preventing wars and being mindful of the other Royals' feelings and opinions had finally sunk in. He flashed a small smile to Alfred and nodded. "Yes, very fair."

Tilting his head, Ivan looked between them and hummed curiously. "If you follow through on that, I will not have any reason to complain. Do not take too long."

"Indeed," said Arthur. "Would you like to follow us to your rooms?" They re-entered the palace, passing several servants who bowed or curtseyed. On the same floor as the Diamonds' rooms were the chambers for the Clubs' Royals. Stopping, Matthew pointed out a room each for them.

"The King and I need only one room," said Natalya, suddenly, clinging tightly to her brother's arm. Arthur noticed Ivan flinching but he didn't move or say anything.

"Er... You do?" asked Alfred, looking rather confused.

"Dy," was the reply before Natalya pushed past them and into a room.

Ivan took a few steps to follow, but he soon stopped and turned to them. "My sister enjoys company before she falls asleep," he explained. Then he disappeared after her, leaving Toris behind.

"This room is mine?" he asked, pointing to a door, obviously used to his King and Queen's antics.

"Ah... Yes," said Arthur, nodding. Once the Jack of Clubs had gone, he raised an eyebrow at his own Royals. "Natalya is rather attached to her brother. Do you two sleep in the same room, also?"

"What?!" exclaimed Alfred. "No way!"

"Spades, no!" cried Matthew. "I could not put up with his snoring."

"I do _not_ snore!"

"Or that clinging when you are scared."

"I do not! What about your sleep-talking?"

"Eh? Shut up!"

"Boys!" Arthur held his hands up and directed unimpressed stares at them. "I know that you are both still rather young but, please, act less like children. We have another set of Royals to greet."

"Ah, er," said Matthew, sheepishly.

"Yeah..." Alfred mumbled.

Rolling his eyes, Arthur turned and led them back to the palace doors. There, the Royals of Hearts were waiting, still wearing their Royal dress, already climbing the stairs as they descended to them. They met halfway and nodded to each other. Before Arthur could properly greet them, however, Alfred took over once more.

"Hey," he said, eyeing Francis suspiciously. "We better get you guys to your rooms, right?"

The King of Hearts raised an eyebrow. "Bonsoir," he said, rather pointedly. "It is a rather gloomy day here, non?"

"Unfortunately," Arthur agreed, shooting Alfred a reproving look. "Hopefully it will clear up in due course."

"Ah, no, this will not do," sighed Elizaveta, suddenly. "You are being too formal, Arthur!" And, with that, she flung her arms around the startled Spade. "Helló, megint!" she cried as Arthur froze at the unexpected physical contact. Staring at Feliciano over her shoulder, he watched the Jack of Hearts grin before making hugging motions. With a roll of his eyes, he gingerly placed his hands on Elizaveta's back and patted her until she let go.

"Er, well," was all Arthur got to say before Elizaveta had moved to her next victim: Matthew. The young Spade seemed embarrassed but was quick to hug back. Finally, Elizaveta moved to hug Alfred who grinned and returned it without hesitation.

"Welcome to Spades," declared the King as he stepped back. "Follow us."

Once more, the soon-to-be Spades' Royals led their guests to their rooms, this time in a different part of the palace from the others. "We made sure you all had separate rooms," Matthew explained as they walked. "Since Elizaveta is already married, we thought that it would be unwise to give the King and Queen a room together."

"Köszönöm, drágám," said Elizaveta, happily. Both she and Feliciano slipped away to their rooms, eager to settle in. Francis, however, stayed behind and surveyed the three Spades.

"Is there something wrong?" asked Arthur, frowning.

"I just wanted to make sure that you will keep me updated on your investigations."

"Of course," agreed Arthur immediately, though Alfred was frowning. "Please, do not worry about this. We have it under control."

Francis chuckled and shook his head. "I do not doubt that you will try your best but I also do not doubt that it will be more difficult and delicate than just having things 'under control', cher. Either way, I shall see you tonight for the entertainment. À bientôt!"

Left alone, the three Spades looked at each other. "The other Royals are strange," Alfred decided.

"Yes," said Arthur, nodding. "Is everything ready for tonight?" he asked Matthew.

"Everything is complete – including the unorthodox invitations." The Jack grinned. "I wonder what they'll think of it."

* * *

Sitting at the edge of the room, Arthur took a deep breath and let it out in a sigh. The celebration was in full swing, everyone darting around the dance floor to the instructions of the local band. The Royals from the other kingdoms, although they had been rather alarmed and confused at first, seemed to have taken it in their stride. Their smiles betrayed their enjoyment of the night.

The most radiant smile of them all belonged to Alfred. For the whole night he had been energetically dancing with both nobles and common folk alike. While the richer Spades had been disgusted by the presence of the poorer people, they had done their best to keep a smile on their King's face. Now, everyone seemed to be having fun.

Alfred's idea had worked beautifully. He would be an amazing King.

Meanwhile, Matthew was answering questions about the palace or the dances. There was a content smile constantly on the Jack's face as he did so. His organisational skills were splendid and the night was running smoothly: no untoward revelations, no arguments.

Matthew would work hard for Spades. He would be an amazing Jack.

Between the two of them, Arthur felt that they would make the country of Spades great.

His reverie was interrupted by the sudden appearance of Alfred. He glanced upwards at the King, still wearing the same outfit from earlier. "Hey, whatcha doing over here?" he demanded, grinning down at Arthur.

"Ah, I was taking a break," explained Arthur. "Is there something the matter?"

"Yeah! You're not dancing! C'mon!" And, with that, Alfred pulled Arthur to his feet and dragged him back to the dance floor. "Hang on! We need a third person for this one." He disappeared, leaving Arthur to blink in his wake. When he finally returned, Alfred was dragging Matthew with him and Arthur realised that he was forcing his brother to dance with them.

"Hello, Arthur," said Matthew once he had spotted him. "I suppose we'll be working together for this dance?"

"Ah, yes," agreed Arthur. _Of course,_ he thought, _the country will become better with all_ three _of us working together._

* * *

The next morning saw Arthur pacing in his room. He was wearing his official Royal clothes and was only waiting for his escort to take him to the throne room. Such wonderful clothes had been a pleasant surprise after the previous day's attire. They consisted of a pair of brown trousers which were tucked into a pair of knee-high, black boots. A white shirt was covered by a blue, double-breasted waistcoat and, on top of that, was a long, flowing, blue coat. His white cravat had been tied into a neat bow, the small Spades on his collar easily visible. Finally, he had been given a small, blue top hat attached to a headband. Surprisingly, it did not hurt his head, fitting comfortably behind his ears.

Despite such wonderful clothing, Arthur was worrying about the ceremony. Because of where his Mark of Spades was, he would have to partially undress to give the priest access. Not only that, but he was beginning to doubt himself. For all his conviction that he could do a good job, for all his determination to fix the long-standing problem of the curse and the former Jack of Spades, it would matter not if he did not prove himself to the kingdom of Spades. He had already let them down once – he was sure the nobles were already looking down on him. Everyone else would likely hate him for his sudden rise in status and wealth. It felt to Arthur as though the past few weeks had been some sort of dream he had been floating through. Now there was a current pushing against him and he wasn't sure he could continue on his way.

There was a knock at the door and it was opened by Larry. He was wearing a large, purple hat to match his waistcoat. His gentle smile quelled Arthur's worry somewhat. "It is time," the tailor said, beckoning to Arthur.

In no time at all, the young Spade was walking towards his King and Jack in the corridor outside the throne room. They turned to watch him approach; Matthew smiled softly at him whilst Alfred stared, his cheeks a little pink. Arthur surveyed their outfits.

Alfred was wearing much the same as Arthur, though there were significant differences. For instance, he had chosen to wear his trousers _outside_ of his boots. His tie had been tied properly before being loosened to Alfred's taste. From the look of horror on Larry's face, it was obvious Alfred had not listened to the tailor as Arthur had. Other differences came from the Spades attached to Alfred's slightly shorter coat. He also wore, instead of a hat, his gold circlet.

Again, Matthew's outfit was similar, though his coat ended at his waist and the Spades adorned the pockets found there. Several pieces of material of varying shades of blue hung down from the back of the coat, creating a hypnotising effect as he turned. He had chosen to tuck his trousers in and to have his tie tight at his collar. His bronze circlet was upon his head.

"Good luck," whispered Larry, patting Arthur's elbow before he disappeared, eager to take his seat in the room.

Turning to the other two, Arthur took a deep breath. "Not long to go," he murmured, feeling nervous once more.

"D'ya think I'll fall over on the way up?" asked Alfred.

"Probably," responded Matthew with a snort of amusement. "You are not the most coordinated person I know."

"You two will be fine," Arthur assured them both, garnering their attention before a brotherly quarrel could break out. "I... I am not so sure about myself."

"Eh?" asked Matthew, looking rather shocked.

Arthur glanced in the direction of the closed doors. "I just-"

"You'll be awesome, Artie," Alfred interrupted, firmly. "You've been awesome, you are awesome and you always will be awesome, 'kay? So don't let _anyone_ else tell you otherwise. Or I'll give them a good 'talking to'."

The grin on Alfred's face was so sincere that Arthur could only chuckle and nod. "Yes. I do apologise."

"Don't sweat it." Alfred slung an arm around Matthew's shoulder and pulled him in close. "We're nervous, too. But all we got to do is say an oath and then do what we think is best for everybody in the kingdom. Right?"

"Right," agreed Matthew with a fond smile.

At that moment, the doors were opened by Riley and Charlie who both grinned and nodded at them. With smiles of their own, the three young Spades nodded back as they filed through the door, Arthur in the front.

For centuries, the thrones had sat with the King in the middle, the Queen on his right and the Jack on the left. After the curse, three of the four kingdoms changed this so that, in events like these, it would not be a commoner who was leading the way. They had also destroyed their crowns – or had them destroyed in rebellions. The only kingdom to hold onto the original traditions in the throne room was Spades and Arthur found himself immediately being scrutinised by the same people who had laughed and made polite conversation with him the night before. Finally, he reached the throne that would be his and turned to face the audience. Once Alfred and Matthew were situated in front of theirs, they all sat down. Arthur marvelled that they managed to do so in unison.

At least a hundred eyes surveyed the Royals. Arthur had to resist from shifting uncomfortably as the priest began to make his way towards them, followed by four small boys holding Royal items on cushions. The other Royals watched from the back – he caught sight of Elizaveta and Kiku smiling at him, as though they were trying to comfort him.

Once again, the priest was wearing different clothes from the previous kingdoms. A red sash lay on his shoulders, contrasting brightly against the pure white of his robes. On his head was a small, red cap. He stopped in front of Matthew and faced him, lifting the Ace of Spades from its place on the cushion and placing it gently against the Jack's forehead.

"The gods have seen fit to bestow this honour upon you," recited the priest. "Do you swear to uphold the traditions and duties of your position and to keep the country running? Do you swear to always think of the country and put your country before yourself and your well-being? Do you promise to work hard for the country, and solely for the country's benefit?"

"Yes," Matthew replied, quietly, blushing lightly. Nodding, the priest replaced the Ace of Spades and took away Matthew's bronze circlet. Then he lifted a small, gold circlet from a second cushion. The metal of this one had been fashioned to loop round and create a Spade at the front, making it clear where the person had come from. This was placed on Matthew's head before the small group passed him and his brother by to stand in front of Arthur.

With a hammering heart, Arthur stared up at the priest as he lifted the Ace of Spades. Hurriedly, Arthur loosened his cravat and unbuttoned his shirt, pulling it down to show the Mark. Inclining his head in thanks, the priest placed the cool metal of the watch against it and repeated the oath. Arthur shivered at the difference in temperature.

Once the last word slipped past the older man's lips, the Spade took a deep breath and said, "I do." It was at this point, Arthur realised, he had sealed his fate completely. Yet, he did not feel consternation. Instead, he felt at peace, relieved.

The small hat was removed from his head and the priest lifted his crown. There was a small trim of white fur at the bottom and the rest of the cloth was a deep blue. A large Spade had been formed from the gold and provided a stark contrast to the blue. When it was lowered onto his head, Arthur breathed a sigh of relief.

Finally, the priest turned to Alfred as Arthur tidied himself up. The oath was repeated and Alfred replied with a cheerful "Of course!" His crown was larger than Arthur's, the gold of his crown rising upwards to form a small Spade at the tip. He grinned at Arthur as the priest lowered it onto his head.

Without further ado, the priest turned to the audience and declared, "Allow me to present the Royalty of Spades: King Alfred, Queen Arthur and Jack Matthew!" The room erupted into cheers as the new Royals stood and smiled down at them. At the back of the room, the other Royals inclined their heads, also smiling.

"We did it!" said King Alfred to his fellow Royals. "We're finally- This is awesome!"

Jack Matthew nodded, grinning as well. "We did!"

And, just like that, Arthur was Queen.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Original A/N:  
> A point on Natalya: she does not want to marry Ivan in this world. She just adores him as a brother and doesn't want to leave him. She also has trouble sleeping if neither he nor Katyusha are around. Make sense?
> 
> I know people will probably think Francis shouldn't be questioning love or whatever. But he did - after all, his parents are the ones who taught him about it. And, if they lied...
> 
> I skipped out on the dance for the most part cause I'm not sure which dancing they would be doing: square dancing, line dancing, ceilidh. I like to believe it's a ceilidh. (But only because I know what the dances are like. And there are a few where you need... two partners? Three people on one side. The only one I remember the steps to, though, is the Gay Gordons. It's fairly simple: 1, 2, 3, 4, turn, back, 2, 3, 4, forward, 2, 3, 4, turn, back, 2, 3, 4, twirl for 4, round for 4. And that probably makes no sense but hush.)
> 
> What Liz says: "Hello, again." and "Thank you, dear."
> 
> The Hearts' priest's oath: Just the same as the Spades' oath except for the last line which is = "Do you promise to love your country and solely your country and its people?" Which, by the way, now sounds rather awful - the King, Queen and Jack can't fall in love with men/women? How nasty. How interesting... Mwahahaha! (I'm tired - I should really be heading to bed.)
> 
> Let's see... Anything else? Oh, yes - pullover = sweater vest. I just used something I overheard someone calling it the other week in a shop. You see, I'm pretty sure I had to look up what a 'sweater vest' was. And I knew there was a different name for it over here but couldn't for the life of me think of it and, the next thing I knew, I actually had the knowledge! I feel right daft forgetting about pullovers, sheesh.
> 
> Affirmance, by the way, is the act of confirmation, ratification or a strong declaration. Rather fitting for this chapter, don't you think?


End file.
